


Woods Farm

by NorthShore7911



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Clarke's a Hoe, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hallmark Movie Teeth Rotting Fluff, Humor, Lexa's a farmer, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:26:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25972087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthShore7911/pseuds/NorthShore7911
Summary: Clarke's car breaks down in the countryside. She searches for help and instead of a mechanic, she finds a beautiful farmer.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Comments: 231
Kudos: 736





	1. Stranded

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back, back, back, back again. This time with light, fluffy, fluffety fluff. I needed a break from my other two stories as real life was getting wayyyy to close to fiction. I needed something tooth rotting it was so sweet and fluffy, so here we are. Have no fear, I will be updating The Trip and Ogeda shortly. I just needed a little break. Actually, I think we all need a little break. So here we go.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Fuck!”

“Fuck, fuck, fuckety fuck!” Clarke slammed down the hood of car, her very expensive, recommended by her ex as super reliable, should’ve known better than to listen to his lying, cheating ass, only wanted her to buy it so he could drive it car.

She sat down on the dusty hood and pulled out her phone from her front pocket. She held it up and move it around, then stood up and walked a few feet both in front of and behind her car, to no avail. There was no cell service anywhere to be found on this stretch of road.

“Perfect.” She muttered to herself before kicking at the fine gravel under her feet that clung to her sneakers. She sighed as she came to terms with what she had to do next. She pocketed her phone and stood up, making her way over the passenger side door to retrieve her purse and her stainless steel tumbler that thankfully was still relatively full of ice water, before closing the door and pressing the alarm button on her key fob.

The dust kicked up as Clarke walked the shoulder of the country road. She thought the best plan was to go was back towards the direction that she initially came from. She thought she remembered passing a farm house a few miles back, though she was more focused on the winding road ahead of her and not the scenery around her. She hoped that the people there would be willing to let her use their phone so she could call a tow truck for her Finn endorsed, should’ve bought the vintage Jeep that she really wanted, “new” car.

Maybe if she had, she wouldn’t be in her current predicament. She took her new vehicle out for its maiden road trip to visit her younger sister at college. Well, Raven was technically in her last year of grad school and was certainly not exactly a bright eyed freshman any more. She was studying to become a Biomedical Engineer, or more specifically a Rehabilitation Engineer. Raven wanted to help design and build new technological solutions for people who have disabilities and Clarke was so unbelievably proud of her; she had come so far from the gangly seven-year-old kid who followed Clarke home from elementary school on their first day.

Clarke stopped to take in her surroundings and quench her thirst. According to her fitness watch, she’s walked about a mile and a half so far with no signs of human life anywhere to be found. She took a sip of water from her tumbler as she reevaluated her next move. Another check of her phone showed that she was still nowhere near a working cell tower. She sighed as she popped the top back on her drink and continued down the dusty trail.

She was a little past mile two of her hike when she saw the roofline of a little farmhouse peeking through a gap the trees. It was a modest little house, with a weathered tin roof, covering its white clapboard siding that looked like it recently got a fresh coat of paint.

As Clarke got closer, she noticed the winding brick walkway that lead to a wide front porch. On its weathered wooden slats two rocking chairs found their home and from its bead-board ceiling, a porch swing lightly swayed with the afternoon breeze. She imagined an older couple, wasting away the waning afternoons of their golden years on that swing with glasses of lemonade in hand. _Not a bad way to fill your days,_ she thought to herself.

Clarke had to admit, the home nestled into its surroundings like a well read book in an old library. It looked as if it was always meant to live on the rolling field it occupied, like it had been there a hundred years and could easily reside there a hundred more.

She trudged up the steps to the modest home resisted the urge to peek into the two large windows that overlooked the front porch. She raised her hand and timidly knocked on the wooden front door. She stood for a few moments, twisting her fingers around a loose thread in her pocket as she heard footsteps clunk on what she presumed was a hardwood floor. She stepped back once she heard the doorknob begin to turn. Needless to say, she was surprised by what greeted her from the other side of the door. 

A young woman, likely in her late 20’s, stood on the other side of the threshold. She flipped a gingham dishtowel over her shoulder as she sized Clarke up. “Can I help you?” she asked with a crooked smile.

Clarke cleared her throat, suddenly unnerved by her expectations being subverted. “Uh yeah hi.” She waved and the woman’s smile grew a bit wider. “My car broke down a few miles back and there’s no cell service out here. I was wondering if I could use your phone?” Clarke asked politely. “I’m not a serial killer I promise.” She raised her hand to give her well-practiced form her youth, Girl Scout salute.

The woman smiled again as she crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “That’s what all the serial killers around here say.”

Clarke couldn’t help but notice that the girl stalling her rescue was pretty, very pretty, in that wholesome, clean living, country girl kind of way.

The woman nodded her head, pointing Clarke in a direction behind her, “Phone’s back there on the side table.” She turned her head back to Clarke, “but before I let you in, I think I should at least know your name. To make sure you aren’t a serial killer and all.”

Clarke smiled and held her hand out. “Clarke, Clarke Griffin.”

The woman pushed herself off the door frame and took the hand that was offered, shaking it firmly. “Alexandria Woods, but most everyone calls me Lexa.”

“Lexa.” Clarke let the name roll of her tongue, “very nice to meet you.”

“You as well Clarke.” Lexa near whispered and the soft tone in her voice sent a deep chill down Clarke’s spine.

Lexa let go of her hand and stepped back, “like I said, phone is over on the table. Since you say you’re not a serial killer, I can assume it’s safe to turn my back on you so I can finish washing up my dishes?”

Clarke smiled again. “I swear I’m not,” She let her voice drop an octave, “but if I were you I’d put the carving knives away first.” She hoped it came out as flirty and not creepy.

Lexa chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mirth like polished gems, “Duly noted.”

Clarke internally gave herself a high five at her successful attempt at flirting, even though she had no idea what she was doing. She had just broken up with her long time boyfriend after she caught him in bed with the waitress from the local bar they had always frequented. She was in no way ready to even entertain the idea of another relationship. But Lexa was quite possibly the prettiest girl Clarke had ever laid eyes on and the flirtatious comment came out of her mouth before she even knew what she was happened.

She slinked over to the house phone and picked it up, quickly dialing one of the three numbers she had memorized. She assured her sister that she was safe, and her arrival would be inevitably delayed. Raven was disappointed of course, as was Clarke. They had both been looking forward to this visit since they made the plans for it over Raven’s Christmas break.

Clarke then dialed the number for her car’s roadside assistance service, luckily she had the foresight to store the number in her phone. She tried to alert the service through her car, but like her phone, the car could not connect to cell service.

She turned and leaned against the table as she waited on hold to connect to an operator. Lexa stood at the double farm sink, towel still perched on her shoulder as her arms moved from one sink to the next and then finally the dish rack. One by one, the dishes filled the rack as Clarke kept her eyes firmly glued to the dishwasher. Lexa had on a faded pair of jeans, Levi’s, Clarke could surmise from the red tag on the back pocket, that hugged her body perfectly capped off with a plain white tee shirt that had obviously become intimately acquainted with the washing machine. Clarke’s fingertips itched to reach out and caress the smooth cotton, to familiarize herself with the seemingly firm flesh underneath.

“Hello?”

The operator shook her out of her useless bisexual gayze and Clarke finally tore her attention away from her impromptu hostess. The operator was polite and empathetic, but fifteen minutes later, Clarke was left struggling with a new conundrum. They couldn’t get a tow truck out to her for five to six hours.

She let out a breath as she hung up Lexa’s phone. How was she going to kill those hours? She looked back at Lexa and blushed at the lewd thoughts that had popped into her mind.

“Everything alright?” Lexa asked with an almost knowing grin on her face as she slipped the dish towel from her shoulder through the handle on the stove.

Clarke’s cheeks managed to get even redder at the suspicion that Lexa might me a mind reader. She quickly collected herself in order to answer Lexa’s question. “Unfortunately it seems like I’ve got a bit of a wait for a tow truck.”

Lexa leaned against the kitchen counter. “How long do they think?”

“Five to six hours.” Clarke replied.

Lexa shook her head as she let out a light whistle. “That’s a long wait, makes sense though, the local tow company is down to one driver. Old man Napier retired about a month ago, just his grandson Ricky running the business now.” Lexa slid her hands into her pockets. “That is a very long wait, even for Ricky. I guess you’re not the only damsel in distress today.”

“I guess not.” Clarke replied.

“Well, I’ve got a few chores left to tackle this afternoon, but your more than welcome to wait here. Or I can take you back to your car if you’d like to wait there. But I have to warn you, we’re expecting some nasty storms to roll through in the next few hours. It’s up to you.”

Clarke wasn’t expecting an open invitation, but Lexa’s voice was as warm and as gentle as the summer breeze that blew the tall grass in the fields she passed on the way to this little farmhouse. It was reassuring and sincere in its tone that solidified the feeling in Clarke’s gut that this woman could be trusted.

“You would leave me alone? In your house?” Clarke asked, genuinely curious to confirm what her instincts seemed to be telling her.

Lexa smiled again, crooked and coy. “Well it’s not as if you could rob me, being that your getaway car is stranded, by the looks of the dust caked on your shoes, somewhere a few miles down the road.”

Clarke immediately looked down at her feet, it was clear by the condition of her shoes that she had been walking for a while before she got here _. I guess Lexa wasn’t checking me out when she answered the door._

Lexa slid past her, her hands finding set of keys on the kitchen table that she pocketed before making her way to the front door. She removed a well-worn red baseball cap from the coat rack by the window and placed her long braided locks before walking over and opening the door. “There’s some iced tea in the fridge and if you’re hungry, there’s some homemade mac and cheese in the crockpot on the counter, or there’s also salad fixings on the bottom shelf of the fridge if you’re into healthier stuff. I should be back in about an hour. I can take you to your car then if you’d like.”

Lexa opened the door and made to head out, but Clarke wouldn’t be Clarke if she didn’t secure one more assurance that she was welcome here. “Lexa are you sure? I can wait in my car, or outside on the porch till you come back.” Clarke chuckled. “I can still rob you blind even without a getaway vehicle, you’d be surprised how much stuff I can fit into my purse.”

Lexa laughed. “I’m sure. Even if you are Ma Barker, my family would never forgive me for being such a terrible host. As long as you’re here, my home is your home. So please, make yourself comfortable” Lexa offered her reassuringly and Clarke finally relented.

“And besides Clarke,” Lexa looked back at her over her shoulder. “I think the only thing you might be able to actually steal from me… is my heart.” She added with a wink before exiting gracefully, closing the door behind her.


	2. Chores

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Clarke get to know each other a bit more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> I am so glad you guys are enjoying this story thus far! Just so you know, when I uploaded originally, I forgot to make it a mutli-chapter fic, but it will definitely be continued! In this chapter, we get Lexa's POV, and she's a little bit thirsty.
> 
> Enjoy!

Lexa brushed the last of the hay off of her jeans before closing the door to the sheep pen. Her favorite little nugget Sophia trotted over to the fence, as the rest of the flock headed over for their early dinner. Lexa patted the little black ewe, before giving her the scratches behind the ear that had become part of their daily ritual. “I know what you’re looking for little bug.” She smiled as she pulled the carrot out of her pocket. She looked up to make sure the other three were occupied with their early dinner before slipping the tiny ewe her treat. She laughed as Sophia very ungracefully gobbled down her snack before heading off to her flock mates. “Have a good dinner ladies, I’ll be back tomorrow.” A singular bleat from one of her girls was all the acknowledgment she was going to get from them.

Now that her chores were done for the day, she had to contemplate what to do with the other girl that was currently occupying her home and her thoughts for the last two hours.

She didn’t get many unsolicited visitors out this way. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time someone showed up uninvited to her home, let alone a beautiful buxom blonde stranger. She knew in her gut that Clarke was no threat, and what her gut didn’t tell her, her visual assessment did. Lexa’s father was ex-military and taught her at a very young age how to assess people. He taught her how to look for seemingly unimportant details and how to use those details to reveal a person’s truth. He also taught her to rely on her instincts. And her instincts were telling her that Clarke was far from a threat.

She meant her departing comment to Clarke as flirtatious banter, but there was a layer of truth hiding behind her mischievous wink. Though they had only spoken briefly, there was something about the blonde that intrigued Lexa and she could very easily see herself getting swept up in all things Clarke. It wouldn’t be that hard, Clarke was downright beautiful after all, but there was something else there below the surface that seemed to call to Lexa.

She needed to reel herself in before she was over her head. While she didn’t notice a wedding or engagement ring, she was certain someone had already beaten her to the punch for there was no way someone like Clarke could be single. Hell, she didn’t even know if Clarke was into women, even though she was quite certain she caught Clarke ogling her backside in the reflection from the window above the sink while she was finishing up her lunch dishes. _You’re getting waayyyy ahead of yourself. She’s just a nice lady who needed some help and you have a hero complex (thanks dad) so of course you let her in and gave her the farm, literally. Stop being such a hormonal teenager._

She sighed as she hopped into the side by side ute that served as the farm’s workhorse. The former workhorse, Indra a nineteen-year-old mare, was currently grazing in the pasture with her partner in crime Gus, a retired twenty-two-year-old gelding from a neighboring farm. Gus was to be sold off to a slaughterhouse in Mexico, but Lexa couldn’t stand to see the poor old boy meet that fate. Fortunately, she was able to step in and offer his owner double what the abattoir was offering and instead of being someone’s dinner, Gus will be able to live out his days on the hilly pastures of Wood’s Farm.

Fifteen minutes later Lexa pulled up to the garage and turned off the ute before slipping out. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves before heading up the steps to the back porch. She peeked in the window of the backdoor and smiled at the sight she discovered. Clarke had most of her back turned to Lexa, but Clarke was at the kitchen table carefully arranging pink and white flowers in one of her mom’s old vases. The flowers were clearly from the side garden. Her mother always loved the colors, the whole garden was full of pink and white. She approved of Clarke’s choices of pink lilies, white roses, pink campions and white dahlias. She made sure to wipe her boots on the doormat so as not to surprise Clarke before she opened the door. The smile she got from the blonde when she walked through the door was everything she never knew she was missing.

“I hope you don’t mind.” Clarke spoke softly as she stepped to the side of the table so Lexa could survey her work. “I just wanted to do something nice to repay you for your gracious hospitality.”

Lexa looked the arrangement over, impressed with what Clarke had put together, if Lexa didn’t recognize the flowers from the garden, she would’ve guessed Clarke had ordered it from the local florist. “It’s quite lovely. You did this all yourself?”

Lexa noticed the tinge of pink that sprouted across the apples of Clarke’s cheeks. “Thanks. Yeah, I used to work at my aunt and uncle’s flower shop when I was a teenager. I would help out with arrangements when they were really busy.”

Lexa stepped closer and leaned in to smell the flowers. “My mom planted all of these flowers,” she took a deep breath of the heavenly floral scent, “this smell always reminds me of her.”

Lexa could feel the air being sucked out of Clarke’s sails. The blonde placed a consoling hand on Lexa’s forearm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Lexa looked down at the place where their bodies connected, wondering if Clarke felt the same fluttering in her stomach that Lexa suddenly felt. It took her a few seconds to realize what Clarke was implying. “Oh no, no she’s not-, she’s fine. She and my dad turned the farm over to me two years ago, they live in a retirement community down in Florida now.”

“Oh,” Clarke let out a nervous chuckle, “I’m sorry, I just assumed when you said- you know what, never mind.”

“It’s ok.” Lexa smiled reassuringly, noting that Clarke had yet to remove her hand. “She used to keep fresh flowers in the house all the time. I guess since they’ve been gone I’ve kind of forgotten to keep up with that. I really should though, it makes the house smell so nice.”

“They really do, I always try to keep a fresh arrangement in the house, especially in my bedroom its always so nice to wake up to the smell of fresh flowers.”

“Mmnn.” Lexa hummed in agreement, the place where Clarke was touching her bare forearm almost burning with her nervous energy now. She needed to regain control of herself. She decided to distract her nerves by taking this opportunity to do some reconnaissance. “I would love if my girlfriend kept fresh flowers in the bedroom. Your significant other must really appreciate it.”

Clarke pulled her hand back and tucked it into her shorts pocket and Lexa instantly regretting pushing the woman. “I uh. My boyfriend and I just broke up a few weeks ago.”

_Boyfriend. Fuck._ “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be,” Clarke let out a forced smile, “he’s an asshole.”

Lexa felt horrible for bringing up a clearly sensitive topic for Clarke, she looked to change the subject even as the word _boyfriend_ hung firmly in the back of her brain. She checked her watch, “looks like we have about three hours till we need to get you to your car. Would you like a tour of the property?”

Clarke’s smile leaned more genuine. “I would love that.”

Lexa walked by the sink and noticed a new bowl and spoon added to the dishes she cleaned earlier, she assumed Clarke had helped herself to the buffalo mac and cheese that was gently bubbling away in the crockpot. Lexa felt her heart flutter at the fact that Clarke felt comfortable enough to not only help herself, but to also take it upon herself to clean up and make sure she didn’t leave a mess.

“Do you mind riding in the side by side?” Lexa asked as she locked the backdoor behind them.

“Not at all, as long as it’s not too bumpy.” Clarke replied as Lexa brushed by her to open the door to the ute.

“I’ll do my best to keep the ride smooth.” Lexa hoped her flirting came across as smooth as the ride she was planning to give Clarke. Lexa blinked hard at that thought, her body physically manifesting the internal cringe at her brain painting that mental picture for her. She quickly schooled herself, hoping that the blonde didn’t notice her grimace as she closed the door for Clarke before making her way to the driver’s seat.

“Do we need helmets or anything?” Clarke asked, seemingly oblivious to Lexa’s mental faux pas, as she settled into the seat and got comfortable.

“I can get you one if you want, but we won’t be going very fast and I usually just rely on the seatbelt for safety.”

“Oh.” Clarke looked down, searching for the restraint, “I didn’t even see a seatbelt.”

Lexa reached over Clarke’s lap to fetch the waist belt from the far side of Clarke’s seat. She suddenly realized she had invaded Clarke’s space without permission and promptly stopped herself. Only where her body had decided to stop was now perfectly eye level with Clarke’s chest. Her very ample, _was her shirt unbuttoned this far earlier? How did I not notice that sexy pink lace bra peeking out before?_ Chest. Lexa cleared her throat as her eyes wandered back up to the chest’s owner, the owner who now had traces of a proud smirk dancing across her features.

_BUSTED._

Lexa at least had the decency to look embarrassed at being caught with her hand nearly stuck in the proverbial cookie jar. “This one has a tendency to slide behind the seat.” She offered as she pulled the belt out and handed the metal buckle to Clarke.

“Thanks.” Clarke accepted the buckle and latched the seatbelt securely in place as Lexa moved back to the upright position.

“Ready?” Lexa asked as she slipped on her own belt.

Clarke looked ready to acknowledge Lexa’s question, but instead turned and gave her a quick side eyed glance. “How do I know **you’re** not a serial killer and are trying to drag me off to some secret torture shack in the woods?”

Lexa laughed out loud, it bubbled out of her throat before she could help it. “Any form of torture we may engage in will be most enjoyable for you, have no doubt.”

_Smooth Lexa._

“I bet you say that to all the helpless women who wind up at your front door.” Clarke smiled subtly. “Before you take them to your torture shack.”

“Well,” Lexa exhaled a large breath, “there’s really only one way to find out isn’t there?”

“I guess so,” Clarke ran her hands over the smooth skin of her thighs, Lexa’s eyes following every motion the blonde’s hands made, “at least my imminent death will be enjoyable.”

Lexa grinned wolfishly, the vision of creamy white thighs against dark blue denim cut off still etched very clearly in her mind. “Yes it will.”

_She’s gonna be the death of me, not the other way around. _


	3. Store

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke gets to know more about Lexa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Back with a new chapter! It's probably the longest one so far, but in it we get to find out more about Lexa. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Clarke peered out the side opening of the ute, silently wishing she had her paints and canvases packed in the back, or her travel sketchbook at least. But that was still tucked away in her purse that currently sat on Lexa’s kitchen table. She sighed softly as she looked out over the view again. She had lived in his part of the country her whole life, but she could never recall a day where everything around her felt so verdant, so… alive. The fields and valleys turned into rolling hills which blended into endless mountains, which reached up to greet the blue sky and its puffy cotton clouds. It was serene in its simple splendor, what the world might look like if its concrete jungles ceased to exist. It made Clarke yearn for another time, where nature overtakes man and resumes its rightful place at the head of the food chain.

Lexa’s property was vast, at least Clarke assumed so as the ride seemed near endless. Not that she minded. When she wasn’t admiring Mother Nature’s scenic beauty she was sneaking glances at the womanly beauty sitting to her left.

Lexa’s profile was austere, yet elegant, and something Clarke absolutely needed to lionize in charcoal, canvas and clay. She could’ve easily been a model, yet here she sat in jeans and white tee, looking every bit the seasoned farmhand that one could imagine.

“So I figured we’d start with the north fields.” Lexa spoke over the whir of the tiny engine. “We used to be dairy farm.” Lexa pointed out to the fields to her left. “All of these were pastures for the Holsteins.”

“Holsteins?” Clarke inquired, not familiar with the term.

“A breed of dairy cows.” Lexa responded. “My great grandparents worked for a dairy farmer in Scotland, but then the work dried up so they came here and they did the only thing that they knew how to do.”

Clarke turned and looked at the girl. “You’re Scottish?”

“100%.” Lexa replied with a mischievous grin. “Maybe if you’re lucky, I can show you what I wear under my kilt.”

The cheeky comment earned Lexa a playful poke to her arm.

“You said you used to have cows?” Clarke asked, her curiosity piqued by this new information. “Where did they all go?”

“When I was a freshman in college, I read a book, _The Inner World of Farm Animals_ which implied that farm animals feel pleasure and sadness, excitement and resentment, depression, fear and pain. Needless to say after reading it I was shook. It made me reassess everything I knew about farming, ethics, meat consumption, animal welfare, and our environmental impact.” Lexa chuckled. “I came home on fall break and dropped this all on my mom and dad over the dinner table, after announcing that I would not be eating the Thanksgiving dinner my mother worked all day to make because I had decided to become a vegan. She was…less than pleased to say the least. But, she respected my choice and after a very long Thanksgiving weekend, I convinced them to move from livestock to crops.”

“Wow.” Clarke sat back in her seat, thoroughly impressed with the woman sitting beside her. “When I was eighteen, I couldn’t convince my parents to let me go to college one state over, you convinced yours to change their whole business model.”

“It wasn’t easy, but I came prepared. I had talked to one of my agricultural economics professors who loved the idea and was nice enough to draw up a business plan that would allow us to convert to crops and phase out dairy over a five-year period. Plus, I had done plenty of research on my own as to ways for us to keep the farm profitable. I prepared a whole Power Point that I gave to my parents over the apple pie we had for dessert. They were impressed I guess, and they decided to go with my plan.”

“I can tell by the you speak about it that your incredibly passionate about what you’re doing here. I can imagine it would be hard for your parents to resist such a compelling and convincing argument even if you delivered it with half as much passion.” Clarke offered in genuine approval, for she was truly impressed by Lexa’s determination and resolve. She knew it was probably so easy for Lexa’s family to dismiss her as young and foolish, for she had been dismissed by her own family as being as such at eighteen, but to change everything you’ve worked your whole life for on a teenager’s request? Incredible. If she closed her eyes she could imagine a younger Lexa, fervently arguing her case, fists slamming the wooden kitchen table in exclamation as she pressed her points home to her captive audience.

 _A beautiful force of nature._ Clarke smiled at the thought as she looked over at Lexa who was focused on the dirt trail in front of her.

“I’m just happy they agreed. Ah here we go.” Lexa pulled up to the entrance of a large field bringing the ute to a stop. “This is our second biggest crop.”

Clarke looked out over the field. It stretched on as far as the eyes could see and was filled with row after row of twisted green vines and large orange flowers. She squinted her eyes to focus in closer on the fruit, which were yellowish-green balls of some kind. It took Clarke a few seconds to realize what the plant was.

“Pumpkins?” She asked as she looked back at Lexa.

Lexa smiled proudly. “Yup. We have several different varieties that we grow. The Jack O Lantern of course, they’re the best for carving, the Jack Be Littles are the tiny ones, we also have a white variety of those as well, then Sugar Pie which are the best for baking, New Moon which are white also for carving, Goosebumps are the kind with the little bumps all over them, and Rouge Vif d'Etampes which are also known as Cinderella pumpkins, they’re more red in color. We also have a smaller field of butternut squash and acorn squash, but we get most of those and the ornamental squash from a neighboring farm. I’ve also been experimenting with some lesser known varieties, this field contains a variety called One Too Many, it’s a hybrid but it basically looks like a bloodshot eye. The kids loved it last year so we made sure to double the plantings for this season.”

Now Clarke was confused. Did Lexa have kids? She spent an hour alone at her house and didn’t spot anything that would signify kids lived there, nor did Lexa mention having any when she talked about her family. Not that it was a bad thing, to have kids of course, but it left Clarke wondering about Lexa’s personal life. How many kids does she have? If they don’t live with her, where are they? How old are they? Do they have a father or another mother and if so, where do they fit into the picture? There was so much Clarke wanted to know, but didn’t want to appear too intrusive, after all she’d only met Lexa a few hours ago and Lexa was far to courteous and generous a host to be subject to a barrage of aggressive questions regarding her love and home life. Besides, it really wasn’t Clarke’s business anyways. Maybe, just maybe, she could drop some subtle questions and see what information she could glean. After all, it would be rude to not engage in some polite small talk with her hostess.

“You have kids?” _Well that was subtle dumbass._

“Hm?” Lexa asked before quickly realizing the question was directed at her. “Me? Oh no. I meant the kids that come up to the store in the fall to get pumpkins.” Lexa chuckled. “I got so excited talking about pumpkins I left out a few major details. So, we have a store, it’s actually a converted dairy barn, about five miles down the road from where the house is. Its open most of the year, in the summer we have blueberries, strawberries, corn and watermelon, we also have gourmet popcorn, jams, jellies and spreads, sauces, relishes and all sorts of baked goods, all of them vegan. My friend, Anya, is a personal chef for a family in the Poconos, but she created the recipes for all the stuff we keep in the store. We also get honey from a local apiary, apples, pears and peaches from a local orchard and maple syrup from a local farm. In the fall we have our pumpkins, gourds and squash, cornstalks, cider from the orchard, donuts, pumpkin rolls and all kinds of pies. Anya really outdid herself with the vegan recipes she put together. Oh, we also do weekends in the fall where we showcase local artists and merchants, and we also do a Christmas market in December.” Lexa’s rambling was enthusiastic and full of the passion that Clarke could so easily see she felt for this place. “Oh, you should come back in the fall, we do hayrides and pumpkin chunkin, it’s so much fun!”

Lexa’s excitement was contagious, and even though Clarke hadn’t a clue as to where she might be in the fall, she easily agreed to return, even though she had no idea what pumpkin chunkin was.

The tour continued on and Lexa proudly showed off the rest of Woods Farm, as Clarke would learn this wonderful place was aptly named. Lexa showed off the blueberry and strawberry fields next which were surprisingly full of people. Lexa explained that both fruits had a pick your own option and many people enjoyed wasting their day away in between the plants, likely eating more than they were buying. Clarke was envious, for she absolutely loved blueberries. She could easily see the appeal of spending an afternoon lazing through the blueberry patch. Lexa went on to emphasize it was the experience that they sold more than the actual a product itself, to which Clarke instantly agreed, seeing how easily she pictured herself here. Plus, Lexa added, the guests had to go to the store to complete their experience and almost always left with multiple reusable shopping bags filled will all kinds of delicious goodies and treats.

Next was their largest crop, corn, and the corn fields stretched on for miles. Eight whole fields were utilized for the farm’s summer money maker, corn on the cob. Another was Indian corn meant for the fall and several more grew popcorn, which Clarke learned today, was a special and unique variety of corn. Some of it they used in the store for their gourmet popcorn, some they sold unpopped to local grocery markets and merchants.

The whole operation was quite brilliant really. Lexa explained, in between stops, how they converted from dairy to crops. They stopped inseminating the cows and therefore stopped producing calves, which then lead to the cows no longer producing milk. One of the conditions for the farm converting to crops was that none of their cattle be sold off to other farms or slaughtered. That left them with about one hundred head of cattle that now had no functional purpose on the farm. But they were kept, well fed and watered and got to live out their days traipsing about the sunny green pastures. Over the next ten years most had died peacefully in the same place they were born, something that most cows don’t have the luxury of experiencing. The twenty or so that remained lived in a small, but luxurious barn, as far as cow accommodations within walking distance from the store. The barn was open for school and group tours. The tours were free, and most of the kids got a kick out of seeing cows up close and in person, especially when they got to feed them treats like apples and carrots. The older kids, parents and/or guardians got an extensive education on animal welfare and the perils of the dairy farm industry. Lexa explained it was her way of opening people’s eyes to how the food they eat gets from the farm to their table, she also happily added that many who take the tour pledge to adopt a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

The store itself was the last stop. Clarke smiled as the large building came into view. It was the typical postcard perfect red and white barn complete with a black metal roof. It was clear the building had been modernized, but more than enough of the original charm remained, right down to the large, seemingly handcrafted ‘Woods Farm’ sign above the sliding barn doors. There were about two dozen cars in the parking lot and the parking lot with various groups of people milling about the exterior displays of fresh watermelons, corn and fresh flowers., which made Clarke extremely giddy and very eager to check out. 

Lexa pulled the ute around behind the building before putting it in park and slipping out. Clarke followed her lead and stepped out of the vehicle. Lexa approached the back door of the building, she pulled the door open, holding it for Clarke, “after you ma’am.”

They walked into a small storage stacked full of boxes and crates, before heading through another door which led to the store. A door which Lexa also held open for her, and usually Clarke wasn’t charmed by chivalrous behavior, quite the opposite in fact. When men did it, she often found it to be condescending, _here tiny little woman, let me, a big strong man, hold the door open for you as I know your thin spaghetti arms cannot possibly bear the task._ She rolled her eyes at her ex whenever he tried to pull out her chair or open the door for her as she knew it was only a show put on to impress those around him, most often her parents, and not her. But when Lexa did it, for some reason, she found it utterly charming.

“Thank you.” Clarke politely replied to the gesture before taking her first good look at the store. It reminded her of an old general store from its wide wood plank floor to its high open rafters. It was a large open space that was separated into smaller sections by long cases, counters and displays. Each of which had large wooden signs above signaling what wares were available in each section. ‘Candies, Jams and Jellies, Dry Goods, Sundries and Such, Fresh Foods, Clothing,’ and finally ‘Confections.’ And where there wasn’t stock on display, the walls were lined with vintage memorabilia and advertising from national brands like Coca Cola, Ivory Soap, and Quaker Oats to native Pennsylvania brands such as Hershey’s, Heinz and Tastykake. Clarke’s eyes took a second to admire the art on the advertising tins, noting the obvious choice by the designer of sticking with the 1930’s and 1940’s time period (one of Clarke’s favorites) as a frame of reference for all the art and signage. It left Clarke itching to thoroughly investigate every square inch of this place, but had no idea where to begin first.

Lexa placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I usually tell people to start with the Jams and Jellies and the work their way around to the bakery, but that’s just my advice. I have to check in with the cashier and it might take a few minutes, so go ahead.” Lexa smiled warmly, “Explore.”

Clarke clasped her hands together and squeezed them trying to restrain her anticipation, she loved shopping local and this place was bursting at the seams with all sorts of homegrown goodies. Even though it was months away she was certain she could get quite a bit of her Christmas shopping list checked off right here.

She took Lexa’s advice and started in the Jams and Jellies. She quickly picked up a jar of apricot preserves, her father’s favorite, and a jar of blueberry jam for herself. The next shelving unit had salsas and relishes. She quickly scoped out a ghost pepper salsa for Raven who loooved spicy food and a jar of avocado tomatillo salsa they could share. She reached for a bag of homemade blue corn tortilla chips but soon realized she had only walked about four feet and her hands were already full. She quickly placed everything back on the shelf in front of her before she made her way to the front entrance and grabbed a large shopping basket, she could already be certain she was going to need it.

She absolutely did need it, for fifteen minutes later her basket was overflowing. She was more than grateful when Lexa retuned and offered to carry it for her so she could continue shopping unencumbered.

_Another chivalrous act, why do I like it so much when she does it?_

Clarke let the thought slip away as soon as she focused her attention on the bakery. She could feel the sugar lust coursing through her veins and everything looked so damn delicious! Her eyes traveled first to the glossy strawberry shortcake, then drifted over to the lemon blackberry cake before eyeing up the raspberry cheesecake. Her attention was then taken by the chocolate peanut butter mousse brownies, raspberry mousse whoopie pies and then the blood orange white chocolate chip cannolis. She had always had a bit of a sweet tooth and was sure she was positively drooling by now. “All of these are vegan?” She asked Lexa for her brain had convinced her there was no way these gorgeous confections could be made without eggs or butter.

“Yep. All of them. Anya tries to use whatever’s in season and changes the recipes out every month. She makes a sample for the kitchen and our chef, Lincoln, copies them.” Lexa replied gesturing to the man working in the open kitchen.

Clarke looked up from the display case and noticed the large, burly man delicately piping frosting onto a tiny pink cupcake. She almost wanted to laugh at how comical the whole scene looked as Lincoln dwarfed everything around him, but she admired the gentle touch he displayed as he meticulously decorated the petite delicacy.

“He’s self-taught, watched a few episodes of Sugar Rush and was instantly hooked on baking. He works construction most of the week and then here part time. He’s hoping to save up enough money to go to culinary school.” Lexa moved Clarke’s basket to her other hand and Clarke felt a surge of guilt for allowing Lexa to carry it for her. “I personally hope he stays here forever, he’s a great guy, and a great chef, school or no school.”

Lexa looked back at her and Clarke felt something else surging through her. _Butterflies?_ “Have you decided?”

Clarke shook the thought away and hoped her stomach would settle because she had designs on eating this whole display case.

“It all looks so good, I can’t choose.” She stepped closer to Lexa. “What do you recommend?”

Lexa took a second to debate her choices. “Well I love raspberries so anything with those, the whoopie pie is particularly delicious. But I also love lemon, the lemon blackberry cake is really good. But for you…” Lexa grinned. “I’m gonna recommend you the blueberry donut.”

“Why the blueberry donut?” Clarke asked, “and not one of your favorites?”

Lexa turned to her, “your eyes lit up like stars when you saw the blueberry field. I figured those were your favorite.”

Clarke was well aware of the rosy blush coloring her whole face. The sweet heat seemed to be near permanent around Lexa. “They are my favorite.”

Lexa gestured to the worker behind the counter to come closer and then pointed at the donut. “Then your gonna love this.” The young woman handed her the donut wrapped in thin wax paper which she passed to Clarke. “You’re not allergic to anything are you?”

“No. Thankfully.” Clarke looked the treat over before taking a bite. “Mmmmmm.” She hummed as the taste exploded on her tongue. Blueberry, lime, and was that the slightest hint of coconut? “Tif es delifus!” Her mother would scold her for talking with her mouth full, but thankfully Lexa just laughed. Clarke would’ve laughed with her but Lexa reached up and gently wiped away a crumb from her cheek. Clarke was stuck with a mouth full of donut as expressive eyes stared at her. She swore she could see the amusement dancing in the dark eyes before her. Were they green? Clarke couldn’t hold her gaze long enough to confirm, too embarrassed by her mouth full of donut crumbs and her intensely growing preoccupation with the beautiful woman before her.

_She really is gonna be the death of me, isn’t she?_


	4. Jeep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls learn more about each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Here's another chapter for you. At the end are a few images pertaining to the story. Also if you are a reader of The Trip, I apologize for not updating, I just haven't been able to rally myself up to get back to that story. I hope to try to update soon but I make no promises. My apologies for leaving you hanging. 
> 
> Enjoy

“It’s ok Clarke really. You can just pay me back later.” Lexa knew Clarke was embarrassed, she could feel the tension rolling off the woman

Clarke sighed. “I can’t believe I got all that stuff and completely forgot I left my wallet at your house.”

Lexa jostled the bags in her arms as she pulled the keys for the ute out of her pocket. She gently placed Clarke’s belongings in the bed of the vehicle, being sure to strap it down with bungie cords so it wouldn’t shift in transit. She had wanted to open Clarke’s door for her but the blonde was already in the process of buckling her seat belt. Lexa kept one eye to the sky as she got in the ute. The storms she warned Clarke about earlier were looming dark on the horizon, seemingly eager to bear down on them. Lexa hoped she could get Clarke back to the house to gather her personal things, then her car, before they hit.

Clarke was staring out the open window as Lexa made her way down the back trail to the house. Lexa wondered what she was thinking. Every time Lexa caught her eyes she could see the wild churning oceans in those baby blues. She wanted to know what was happing in that beautiful head of hers. Wanted to hear every thought, be the recipient of every secret whispered confession. Lexa didn’t know what was happening to her, she had only known this girl a few hours and was already feeling she was in neck deep even though she had warned herself to keep it together.

She opted to squash down her budding feelings, that was a move she was quite familiar with when it came to romance. But she did want to bring Clarke out of her funk and she realized she had spent most of the afternoon talking about herself, and really didn’t know anything about Clarke. Maybe small talk was the best course. “So, you have an asshole ex, but you also mentioned a sister and parents. Tell me more about them.”

Clarke turned back to Lexa, giving her all her attention. “Um, ok. Well Raven is my sister as I’m sure you gathered from the phone call, she goes to grad school in Philly. My parents, Jake and Abby, they live in Albany, my mom is a doctor, she works for the Department of Health. My father also works for the state as a civil engineer.”

“And what about you?” Lexa asked as she kept her eye on the trail.

“Me?” Clarke asked. “Well, there’s not much to tell really.”

“There has to be something. What do you do for a living?”

Clarke smiled excitedly. “I’m a graphic artist for an advertising firm. I also do freelance work on the side.”

“An artist?” Lexa was intrigued. She had a personal affection for advertising art, the evidence of which was plastered about the walls of the farm store. “Any campaigns I know of?”

“I recently did some designs for the new season of tv show the Walking Dead, do you watch it?”

Lexa shuddered, she hated zombies. _Reanimated dead people who want to eat your face? No thank you._ “Not a fan I’m afraid.”

“Hm, well before that I worked on a candy campaign, Twix, it was one of the biggest print campaigns I worked on, plus I got all the free samples I could ever want.” Clarke laughed. “I gained five pounds working on that campaign.”

“Was that the one where the Twix bars were laid out like a Tetris game?” Lexa asked remembering seeing the ads in several of the magazines she frequented.

“Yeah, you saw it?” Clarke asked.

“I did, I thought it was very clever, and very good way to target the Gen-X and millennial markets.”

“It was hard to get the licensing approval from Tetris’s publisher, but I’m so glad we did.” Clarke hummed. “Number one rule in advertising, nostalgia sells.”

Lexa pulled up to the back of the house. “Your career sounds fascinating, I’d love to hear more about it sometime.” She had hoped that Clarke would be interested in sharing more time with her beyond only this afternoon. Maybe they could exchange phone numbers or email addresses.

“Well you have me for another hour at least.” Clarke replied as she slid out of the ute.

Lexa tried to hide her disappointment by focusing on the task at hand, which was helping Clarke carry the bags into the house. _Am I misreading her signals? Is she giving me signals? She said boyfriend, but maybe she’s bi or pan?_ Lexa held onto the shopping bags as Clarke preceded her up the back steps, putting her perfect posterior firmly at Lexa’s eye level. Lexa quickly looked down but not before admiring the view for almost two whole seconds.

_Stop being a perv, she already caught you looking at her boobs!_

Clarke stood to the side and waited for Lexa to open the door before barreling in to retrieve her wallet from her purse. She promptly handed Lexa the amount of cash required to cover her purchases. “Again, I can’t tell you how sorry I am you had to pay for everything.”

Lexa hesitated for a few seconds before accepting Clarke’s money, stuffing it quickly into her front pocket. “Well, look at it this way, you got the employee discount at least.” That got her a shy but dazzling smile from the blonde. Lexa decided then and there she would throw herself headfirst down a water slide into a pool of fresh horse manure if that’s what was required to keep that smile on Clarke’s face.

“Do you um, want a drink? Or a snack?” Lexa asked, being polite of course, but also wanting to keep Clarke here a bit longer. To see that smile a bit longer.

“Water, please, with ice if you have it.” Clarke replied and Lexa set to getting her a tall glass of her requested beverage. She set in down in front of Clarke on the table as well as one for herself before they both sat down at the kitchen table.

Clarke hummed as she took a long sip, ice cubes clanking in the glass as they clattered against each other. She took another ling sip before looking wistfully down at the glass, condensation rolling down the side of the tumbler and meeting with presumably soft skin of her left hand, not that Lexa was paying that close attention. “You put in just the right amount of ice. Finn- my ex, I would ask him to fix me a drink with ice and he’d put in one cube. What the fuck am I supposed to do with one cube? How does that make or keep my drink cold? I would always ask him to put in a lot of ice and he would always only add one fucking cube. I’d always have to get up and add more.” Clarke chuckled dolefully. “I guess that was the first indication that things weren’t going to work out.”

Lexa stared down at her own glass, full of ice, for she liked her cold beverages to be a glass shaped block of slush. “My ex, hated ice, said it was bad for your enamel, blah, blah, blah. She was studying to be a dentist and always gave me shit about what I ate. Citrus, popcorn, coffee, potato chips, oh Lord,” Lexa huffed, “the day she learned about potato chips. Did you know potato chips are bad for your teeth?” Clarke shrugged. “Me either, something about the starch content.”

“At least she was concerned about your oral health.” Clarke added.

“Yes, but at what cost?” Lexa joked. “She threw out all my potato chips Clarke, po-ta-to chips! What kind of monster throws out four whole unopened bags of potato chips?”

“Four?” Clarke asked with a grin.

“They were on sale.” Lexa replied with her own matching grin.

“On sale, huh?” Clarke leaned forward encroaching on Lexa’s personal space.

“Who am I to pass up a bargain?” Lexa matched her lean.

“What kind were they?” Lexa swore Clarke’s voice dropped an entire octave. _Is she flirting or am I misreading this?_

“Middleswarth.”

“That bitch!” Clarke slapped her palms on the table while simultaneously throwing her body back, and away from Lexa. “I hope that’s why she’s your ex.” She added with a lighthearted grin.

Lexa let out a half-suppressed laugh. “As delicious as Middleswarth chips are, sadly no, there were other reasons behind our demise. Mostly, she wanted to go to dental school at USC and my life was here.”

Clarke frowned. “You didn’t want to stay with her?”

Lexa didn’t think she’d be going down this road on a Tuesday afternoon, this was certainly not how she expected her day to unravel when she woke up this morning. But that was before a blonde tornado blew though her front door. Now here she was, willing to step on the emotional landmine that was her love life and bare all to a woman she barely knew. As fun as that would be for both of them, she decided to keep the collateral damage to a bare minimum.

“I did, but I chose my responsibilities and she chose hers.” It wasn’t that simple, but it was really. Costia wanted a life that Lexa wasn’t able to offer. Her job was here; her life was here. She had put her entire family’s livelihood on the line with her ideas and profit or perish, she was the one who had to see it through. And as much as it broke her heart to see Costia move to the other side of the country to follow her dreams, Lexa knew that following her own would lead her to a very different destination.

“She stayed in LA, just finished up her residency. She’s an oral surgeon now.” Lexa knew this because their split was amicable and they still kept in touch, mostly through social media and occasional texts. Costia was her first real love, and even though they grew apart as time and distance are inclined to do for first loves, Lexa still held a certain affection for the girl and supposed she always would.

“Finn, he started off fine, charming and sweet. Really attentive at first.” Clarke paused to take another sip from her glass. “But as time went on. He got…bored I guess? Maybe comfortable is a better word for it. He stopped trying, you know? Stopped doing the little things that he would always remember to do when we first started dating. He and the boys would go out and watch college football at the neighborhood bar every Saturday, which was fine with me. I would never keep him from hanging out with his friends and I never really cared about football anyways. I worked most Saturdays on my freelance stuff and after football he would always stop at the corner store and pick me up a treat. Nothing big, maybe a candy bar or a bag of pretzels or an ice cream, it didn’t matter what it was, what mattered was that he was thinking about me and wanted to do something nice for me because he knew I’d been working all afternoon. Then one day it just stopped. No more treats, no more half drunken kisses or snuggles, he would just come home and go right to the bathroom and shower, didn’t even say hello to me before peeling off his clothes. We’d been together about two years and I just thought the honeymoon phase had finally worn off. Come to find out he was showering when he got home because he was screwing a waitress at the bar and wanted to wash away the evidence.” Clarke swirled the drink in her hand, watching the ice clinking against the glass, lost in a thought, a few seconds later she took another drink before shrugging her shoulders. “Men are the worst; I think it’s time to go back to women.”

Lexa, who was also sipping her drink, had force the ice water down her throat, less she does a spit take all over Clarke’s side of the table. Clarke only looked at her knowingly over the rim of her glass as she took another drink herself. It took everything Lexa had to keep her composure at Clarke’s revelation. 

_She’s into women!_ Lexa let the thought seep through her brain as Clarke politely excused herself and left to use the bathroom. She had been confused by the mixed signals Clarke seemed to be giving her. And let’s be honest, Lexa had been burned by flirtatious straight girls once or twice before. But now, with this disclosure, Lexa felt somewhat reassured that she wasn’t wrong about what she perceived. The only question now is, what does she do with this information?

“I got a text from the tow truck driver,” Clarke offered as she walked back into the kitchen. “He says he’ll be at the car in fifteen minutes.”

Well fate certainly didn’t leave time for Lexa to ponder that question. Clarke’s car would be towed away and she would presumably leave with it, and that would be that.

Lexa stood up. “I guess we better get you there then.”

She didn’t mean for it to get awkward, she was so tempted to ask Clarke for her phone number, her email, some way to keep in contact with her, but she just didn’t know how to work that organically into the last few minutes of conversation they had left. What they wound up with was uncomfortable silence as she cleaned up the glasses and Clarke gathered her things. The air between them had shifted, thick with…something, but Lexa couldn’t put her finger on exactly what that something was.

She held the back door open for Clarke, before locking it and following her down the steps. Clarke was heading for the ute, but Lexa stopped her. “Since we’re traveling on the road we should probably take the car, it’s in the barn.”

“Oh, ok. Lead the way.”

Clarke agreed and Lexa made quick work of leading her over to the barn at the rear of the property. She placed Clarke’s shopping bags on the grass and unhitched the big barn door before sliding it open.

“Holy shit!”

Lexa turned to see what was the matter and was met with the girl’s wide-eyed, unbelieving expression. “You have a Jeep Cherokee!” Clarke dropped the bags she was carrying and approached the vehicle. Lexa hoped nothing breakable was in them considering the hard thud they made when they hit the ground. “What is this an ’80, or a ‘79?”

Lexa grinned widely. _She knows about old cars. “_ A ’79, it was my dad’s when he was a kid, when I graduated college he had it restored for me as a gift.”

Clarke poked her head through the open driver’s side window, seemingly looking over every detail, “whoever did the restoration did a bang up job, its perfect.” Clarke pulled out of the window and made her way around the back of the car, peering into the ample tailgate. “You could house a small family back there.” She chuckled.

“Yeah they certainly made sure you had plenty of room back then. Hopefully all your bags will fit.” Lexa added with a smirk.

“Smartass.” Clarke replied with a grin.

“So.” Lexa leaned up against the door as Clarke made her way to the front of the car, inspecting every piece of chrome. “You’re into classic cars.”

“Not as much as I used to be, but yeah. My dad’s into 70’s muscle, he’s got a ’71 Plymouth Duster, Tangerine, same color as yours. When I was a kid we would go to car shows every other weekend and he would tell me all about everybody’s ride, needless to say I picked up a few tidbits of information here and there.”

Lexa smiled. “Tangerine sure was a popular color in the 70s that’s for sure.” She pushed herself off the door and went around back to open the tailgate. “How come you’re not into cars anymore?”

Clarke stood up, her inspection of the grill finished. “I don’t know, l guess I lost interest when I was a teenager and wanted to hang out with my friends on the weekends. It wasn’t exactly cool to be hanging out with your dad at the 9thth annual Cruis’in Pro’Formence Shop, Swap and Show when you’re fifteen.”

Lexa chuckled. “No I guess not.”

“Well, shall we get you packed up? Don’t want to keep Ricky waiting.”

Clarke looked at Lexa, and Lexa could swear she saw her hesitate for a second before answering. “Yeah, let’s go.”

For the second time today, Lexa had a beautiful passenger sitting beside her. It was a rarity, to have passengers, especially since her parents left. Occasionally Anya would hitch a ride from the house to the store, but most of the time she came up she went directly to the store. She and Lexa would hang out there as Anya baked up her newest recipe samples for Lincoln to replicate.

But, Anya hadn’t been up in a month and as much as Lexa loved Anya, she wasn’t sexually attracted to her. Clarke, however, is a whole different story. She peeked over to the right and eyed the woman’s legs again. _Her skin is so smooth; I wonder how they’d look wrapped around my-_

_“_ Lexa?”

Lexa’s eyes darted back to the road. “Huh, yeah, what?” She asked silently hoping she didn’t get caught red handed again.

Clarke tried to hold back her grin. “I asked if you had an umbrella in here.” Clarke pointed out the windshield. “Looks like it’s going to rain any minute.”

Lexa sat forward and craned her neck to look up at the sky above them. “I think I have one under my seat.”

_I don’t think she caught me._ Lexa sighed. _You’d swear I’d never seen a pretty girl before. I’m acting like a horny teenager!_

_“_ Are you into classic cars? Or just this car?” Clarke asked as she ran her fingertips over the chrome window crank.

“Not so much classics in general, but definitely Jeeps. I think because of this car.” Lexa chuckled. “I had a Wrangler all through high school and college. I bought it two months after I turned seventeen, saved up for almost two years to get it. It was a ’93, white with tan interior. It needed some work, but thankfully my dad helped me fix it up.” Lexa sighed wistfully. “I loved that car. Lot of good memories in that baby.”

“First kiss?” Clarke asked with a playful smile.

Lexa chuckled. “No. That uh…that happened in this car.”

Clarke raised her eyebrows. “Oh really?”

“Uh huh, Becky Bradford, last night of the Fall Festival, on the dirt road behind the corn maze.”

“Aww how romantic.” Clarke replied. “Did you go any further?”

Lexa blushed. “I might have felt a boob, over the sweater.”

Clarke tipped her head back and laughed as Lexa grew pinker but the second. “Brave. I didn’t do that till the third date with my first girlfriend.”

_Girlfriend._ That word was the only one Lexa focused on. _She’s into girls and has had a girlfriend._

“Anyways, that’s actually what I wanted to buy instead of my Audi, an old restored Wrangler.” Clarke added steering the conversation back away from something bordering on dangerous. “I let Finn talk me out of the Jeep and into this car. ‘It’s more reliable.’” She added as the crooked her fingers with air quotes. “Reliable my ass. I’ve had it four months and its already broken down dead on the side of the road. God he’s such a jerk. I don’t know why I listened to him.”

Clarke appeared forlorn at the thought of her ex. And all Lexa wanted to do was to see her smile again. “I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but he seems like a real douche canoe.”

A peal of laughter left Clarke’s lips.

_There’s that million-dollar smile._ Lexa thought, quite pleased with herself.

“Douche canoe. That’s good.” Clarke laughed. “Might be the most appropriate nickname for him. I’ve got to tell Raven that one.”

Clarke turned and looked back out of the passenger’s side window. “Oh, this is me coming up on the left.”

And just like that, all the joy Lexa felt at seeing Clarke smile, at sitting next to Clarke, at just merely being in her presence, was suddenly sucked out of Lexa’s body.

Lexa's Jeep

Jake's car


	5. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm hits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> A new chapter for you! I think you'll like this one. There is another photo at the end related to the story.
> 
> Enjoy!

Ricky was a handsome boy, well more of a man, though he barely looked old enough to vote let alone run an entire business. He had flaming red hair that peeked out under his navy baseball cap and a tinge of freckles that covered the bridge of his nose and extended to the apples of his cheeks. There was a day old stubble that covered his chin, and looked tired, like he’d had a very long and difficult day. Considering how long Clarke had to wait for him to get here, she was certain it had been a very busy one for the man.

Clarke turned her attention from the young man fiddling with her car, to the young woman standing next to her. Lexa was hovering close by, as close as being a new acquaintance would socially allow, umbrella tucked under her arm in preparation for the imminent downpour.

Thunder rumbled in the not too far off distance, causing them both to look up at the sky. Ominous was the best word Clarke could use to describe it, towers of dark grey and navy blue clouds loomed over their heads.

“So.” Lexa kicked at a piece of gravel beneath her boot.

“So.” Clarke replied as the clang of metal hitting metal emanated from the front of her car.

Lexa spoke first. “I’m sorry your plans with your sister got delayed, but I have to say, I really enjoyed today.”

Clarke felt a warmth bloom deep in her chest. “Having the car break down was awful, but meeting you made it a lot less awful.”

Lexa let her eyes down and toed the pebble again, but Clarke could see a shy smile grace her beautiful features. “Yes, today turned out to be a pretty not awful day.”

_I don’t want this to end_. Clarke thought to herself. _I want to see her again._ _Ask her for her number._ Clarke blew out a shaky breath. _For fuck’s sake, why am I so nervous now? I’ve been flirting with her all day._ She wiped her palms on her jean shorts. _Just ask her!_ Clarke took a few seconds to work up her courage. _Ok, here goes._ “I was wondering,” Clarke spoke softly. “If maybe I could get your-”

Ricky peeked up from under the hood, interrupting Lexa’s question. “Well ladies, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it doesn’t look like this vehicle is going anywhere anytime soon.”

“What?” Clarke asked, attention diverted, as she walked away from Lexa and over to the tow truck driver.

Ricky waved her over to the motor bay. He leaned in and picked up a piece of rubber. “See this, that’s your timing belt.”

“Shit.” Clarke muttered. She didn’t know much about modern engines, most of her engine knowledge base was from her dad’s Duster that she helped him work on when she was a kid. But she knew enough to make out that a broken timing belt was disastrous, no matter what year the car was manufactured.

“Yes ma’am.” Ricky agreed. “Thankfully, I don’t think it caused any damage to the engine. But obviously you won’t be able to drive this any time soon.”

Clarke sighed as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. Not only was this bad, it was going to be expensive and most certainly not a quick fix. “Do you guys have a mechanic in town?”

Ricky nodded. “We do, I can tow you there if you like, or I can arrange to get you to an Audi dealer, but I think the closest one is at least an hour’s drive north.”

Clarke weighed her options. North was the opposite direction to where she was originally headed. But, she also knew a local mechanic wouldn’t have the belt her car needed on hand and would likely be stuck here for a few days. Unless she could manage get a rental, but considering the area only had one tow truck driver, she was positive that her finding a rental car place was unlikely. _Fucking Finn._

“Is there a car rental place around here?” She asked hopefully.

“Fraid not.” Ricky replied as she closed the hood. “Where would you like me to take this?”

She looked over at Lexa who was lurking near her Jeep, trying to keep a respectful distance while Clarke sorted this situation out. _Maybe she’ll give you a ride to a hotel._ Clarke smirked. _Maybe she’ll give you a ride on her fa-_

“Ms. Griffin?” Ricky interrupted her train of thought, which was probably a good thing considering it was heading straight for a stop in Pound Town.

“Yes?”

“The car? Where should I tow it?”

As nice as Ricky was, she didn’t want to spend an hour with him in dodgy looking tow truck heading the complete opposite direction of her end destination. On the other hand, if she opted for the local mechanic, she could spend some more time with Lexa. Lexa, who in a matter of hours had captured all of Clarke’s unswerving attention, Lexa who she had truly enjoyed spending her afternoon with, Lexa who already got her own motor revving faster than Finn ever had. Not that she was going to sleep with her, Clarke wasn’t one for one night stands, but maybe she could get to know Lexa a little bit better, maybe there could be something between them beyond today and the more Clarke considered that option, the more appealing it became. It took her only seconds to make up her mind.

“The mechanic.”

*

She tried not to look over at the girl next to her. Tried not to watch the wispy hair that escaped her braid dance from the wind that poured in from the open car window. Tried to not reach over and wrangle the hair to secure behind her tiny ear and keep it out of her face. Tried not to run her fingers along Lexa’s sharp jawline. Tried to not capture those plump lips with her own.

Clarke resisted that urge and a few other ones that were tormenting her brain in the sweetest way. She knew that Lexa was interested. The two times she caught her subtle, well less than subtle, gawking was enough to reassure Clarke. The question was, what happens now?

Lexa had volunteered to take Clarke to the mechanic, then back to her house, so she could phone Raven and let her know what was going on. She hated disappointing Raven, they had been planning this get together for months. Raven had just finished up her spring semester and had planned on staying in Philadelphia for the summer. Clarke had taken two weeks off from her regular job, but still left herself open to take freelance commissions. As long as she had her computer, her digital sketch pad, and a good internet connection, she could work from just about anywhere. They had planned on spending a week in the city and a week at the Jersey Shore and Clarke hoped that she wouldn’t be tied up more than a few days with her car.

_Tied up._ She looked over at Lexa. _I’d like to tie her up to the bedframe and-_

Clarke shook her head. _Stoooop that!_

“Hopefully, once they look the car over, they’ll have some good news for you.” Lexa spoke, oblivious to the dirty thoughts swirling around in Clarke’s mind.

“Uh hmm.” Clarke answered, knowing that Lexa was just trying to make her feel better.

They soon approached Lexa’s house, Lexa pulled up front instead of going around back to park in the barn. Clarke was certain it was to leave the car more accessible in case Lexa needed to drive her anywhere.

Thankfully the storms had held off just long enough for Ricky to get her car loaded onto the flatbed and delivered safely to the mechanic, who coincidentally happened to be Ricky’s cousin, Christopher. He was young, probably only a few years older than Ricky, but seemed quite knowledgeable and promised to go over Clarke’s vehicle with a fine tooth comb to make sure the broken belt did not cause any further mechanical issues. Lexa knew him, as Clarke was sure to happen in a small town like this, and assured Clarke her car was left in good hands.

But the storms could not be kept at bay forever. And as they were approaching the front porch, Clarke felt a flurry of light rain drops hit her shoulders. “We should get inside.” Lexa urged her on as she brought Clarke’s bags back into the house.

The rain started to pick up as Lexa closed the door behind them. Lexa placed Clarke’s bags on the table before scurrying through the house, room to room, making sure all the windows were securely closed. She returned to the kitchen just as a large crack of lightening rang out over their heads. Lexa pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked her weather app. “There’s a line of storm cells coming through, then it looks like plain ol’ rain for the rest of the night.” Lexa walked toward her and then flanked Clarke, showing her the radar on her screen.

It was the closest Lexa had been to her all day, and even though Clarke knew she had been out working in the sun and dusty fields in the morning, she couldn’t help but notice that Lexa smelled divine. It was light and floral with hints of bergamot and certainly not what Clarke was expecting. Maybe it was the humidity that made her scent carry in the air, but all Clarke could smell was Lexa in her nose and it was delightfully intoxicating. She looked over at the girl, Lexa was focused on her phone, her brow furrowed in concern at the impending heavy storms. It was all Clarke could do to not take her hands and massage the creases out of Lexa’s forehead with her thumbs.

She was glad Lexa had forgone her faded red baseball cap after their trip to the store, for now her face wasn’t hidden by a visor and Clarke could see everything, appreciate everything. The light freckles on her nose, the deep tan of her skin, the flecks of gold in her green eyes. Oh yes, Clarke didn’t look away this time, even from this angle, she could see the deep emerald green. She knew that it would take an eternity for that color to fade from her mind.

“I hope they got everyone out of the fields in time. I warned the cashier when we were at the store that we were going to get hit pretty good.” Lexa rambled, still focused on her screen.

Clarke subconsciously leaned into her, close enough to feel the heat from her body. She knew she should be concentrating on what Lexa was showing her, but right now, all she could focus on was the rain provided mist clinging to Lexa’s hair, which seemed to have somehow gotten curlier since they met. The colored light emanating from Lexa’s phone made each tiny drop of water shimmer like miniature gems, it almost looked like Lexa was wearing a thin bejeweled veil. Even in the dim light of the house now blanketed by thick gray storm clouds, Lexa was utterly beautiful.

Lexa looked up at Clarke, probably because Clarke had yet to respond to what she was saying. Lexa met her gaze and their eyes locked. Clarke could feel the hitch in Lexa’s breathing even if she didn’t catch it out of her periphery. There was electricity buzzing in the air around them, but it wasn’t from the thunderstorm outside. She flicked her eyes down to Lexa’s plump pink lips and then back up, watching on as Lexa did the same to her.

_Kiss me._

It was all she wanted, to feel Lexa, to touch Lexa. Her eyes traveled down again and back up.

_Kiss me._

She leaned almost imperceptibly further into Lexa and felt Lexa match her movement. They were so close. Their noses almost touching, their breath shared, all she had to do was close the tiny gap between them.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Lexa jerked away, almost inadvertently throwing the offending device out of her hand before inspecting her phone further. “It’s a severe weather warning.” Lexa spoke as instantaneously the rain picked up outside, crashing down on the tin roof of the little house with great urgency.

_So close._ Clarke thought as she backed away from Lexa.

“I’m going to go make sure the sump pump is working in the basement. Don’t want to risk it flooding.” And before Clarke could respond, Lexa disappeared through a door that she presumed led down into the home’s lower level.

_Great job Clarke, you scared off so badly she had to flee into her subterranean bunker!_

Clarke wrapped her arms around herself, the storms must’ve been riding in on a cold front for suddenly she was wracked with a chill. _Or maybe the chill was from coming this close to kissing Lexa._ She sighed, wishing she had pulled her spare jacket from the back of the car before it was towed off. _I can just get a hoodie out of my luggage._ Clarke went to the spot by the door where she had dropped her suitcase.

Lexa returned as Clarke started to unzip her bag. “Pumps working.” she said out loud to no one really as she went to wash her hands in the sink.

“That’s good. At least we won’t float away.” Clarke joked as she stood up. She folded her arms tighter against her body, trying to find the warmth the summer day had previously provided.

“You’re cold.” Lexa observed as she wiped her hands on the gingham dish towel. When they were dry, she immediately went over to Clarke and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to use the friction to warm Clarke up.

Oh, Clarke was warm alright. Warm in spots that Lexa was nowhere even close to touching.

_How is this turning me on?_

She looked up at Lexa’s face. Lexa was focused on her upper arms, trying her best to provide Clarke some warmth.

_She’s so pretty._ Her eyes drifted back down to Lexa’s lips, noticing a new little detail. _Aww, she’s got the most adorable tiny beauty mark on her top lip._

Lexa met Clarke’s eyes, she held them for a few seconds before seemingly now realizing that perhaps she had crossed an invisible social boundary. She dropped her hands, shoving the right one in her pocket, and stepped back a comfortable distance from Clarke.

_No. Don’t go._

Lexa cleared her throat as she reached up and scratched the back of her neck with her left hand. “I can get you a jacket, or a hoodie?”

“Yes, please. I left my jacket in the car.” Clarke chuckled as she shivered. “Storm must’ve brought a chill with it.”

Lexa smiled sweetly. “I’ll go grab you one.”

_You have a hoodie in the bag behind you._ Raven’s voice echoed mischievously in her head.

_She doesn’t know that._

_I mean it’s right there, literally two steps behind you._ She could just imagine her sister’s teasing.

_Yes, but that one won’t smell like Lexa._

_Oof, someone’s got the hots for Farmer Fran. Escandolo!_

_Shut up! I do not!_

_Clarke you realize you’re arguing with yourself right now, right?_

Thankfully Lexa returned and put a halt to Clarke’s inner monologue.

_Was it still a monologue if you were fake arguing with your sister in your head?_

“Here.” She handed Clarke a well-worn, but very soft, navy blue hoodie. Clarke quickly put it on, but not before taking in a large whiff of Lexa’s scent from the fabric as she was pulling her head through.

“Penn State?” Clarke askes as she pulled her hair though the opening of the hoodie, looking down at the emblem on the chest of the sweatshirt.

“We are… Penn State.” Lexa mock cheered the school’s sports chant as she pulled on her own gray hoodie with her alma mater’s logo. “I really didn’t have a choice, everyone that went to college in my family went there.” Lexa chuckled. “I came home from the hospital in a Penn State onesie. I’d be disowned if I went anywhere else.”

“So Michigan and Illinois were out?” Clarke teased.

Lexa laughed, “oh please, my mom wouldn’t have just disowned me, she would’ve killed me if I told her I was going to either of those schools!” Lexa smiled. “Thankfully, I wanted to study Agricultural Business Management and PSU is the best place for that. So it worked out in the end. Still alive.”

“Lucky me,” Clarke smirked. “Who would’ve rescued me if your mom killed you?”

Lexa laughed. “Hey I thought you weren’t into college football? Yet you know about Penn State’s biggest football rivals.” She plopped down on the couch in the front area of the house and Clarke followed her lead, settling down on the other end of the couch.

Clarke pushed her hands into the pocket of the hoodie, relishing in its softness and warmth. “I’m not, but hanging around with Finn long enough, some things wore off. And, he is an Ohio State fan.”

Lexa huffed, seemingly personally affronted by this information. “Of course he is. Though now I feel douche canoe is not a strong enough insult for him.” She added teasingly as she brought her fingers to her chin, she tapped on it a few times, lost in a thought. “How about super tremendous fantastical fuckwit douche canoe?”

Clarke snorted out a laugh and slapped the empty couch cushion between them “That’s even better, and Raven will absolutely adore that name.”

_Shit! You never called Raven._

“Speaking of Raven, I should call her and let her know what’s going on.”

Lexa sat up quickly. “Oh yeah, of course. You know where the phone is.” She added with a smile.

Clarke smiles back at her and wandered over to the phone to called her sister. After explaining the situation and getting Raven up to speed, Raven asked her what she was going to do next.

“I’m not really sure.” Clarke responded as she turned away from Lexa’s direction. “Go to a hotel maybe.”

“Is there as hotel around there? Sounds like you’re in Bumfuck Nowhere.” Raven asked.

“I’m sure there is, let me ask Lexa.” Clarke titled her head so she could see Lexa still camped out on the couch. “Hey Lexa? Is there a hotel in town?”

Lexa popped up over the back of the couch. “Yeah, the Milton Hotel, but it’s closed for renovations.”

“Shit.” Clarke and Raven responded at the same time.

“Any other ones around?” Clarke asked.

“No I’m afraid not. Next closest would be up by the Audi dealer. I can drive you up.” A large crack of lightening lit up the windows, seemingly disputing Lexa’s attempt to be helpful. “Or not.”

The thunder rolled very loudly overhead making Clarke jump nervously. “Raven, I’m gonna go, I’ll call you back when I figure out what I’m doing.”

“Ok. Love you Pebbles.”

“Love you too Bam Bam.”

Clarke hung up the phone and turned around to meet a grinning Lexa. “Bam Bam, that’s so cute.”

“She does love to smash stuff.”

Another shot of lightening lit up the kitchen, bringing with it an even more intense stream of rain. “I guess we have to wait this storm out before I can find a place to stay.”

“Or um, maybe you could stay here?”

Lexa's House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo close!. And look at Lexa being all brave and asking Clarke to stay. Disclaimer, I am neither a mechanic, nor a Penn State fan, it just seemed to make sense for Lexa to go there. 
> 
> In unrelated news, (Spoiler alert if you haven't seen the last episode of the 100).........Bellamy's gone. An interesting but kind of expected turn of events. More so as to who did it and how he was pretty much absent the whole season. Guess Bobo really pissed off JRot this season. Looking forward to your comments on this subject and the chapter! Also, I will be updating my Wayhaught story in the next few days, sadly still no update for The Trip.


	6. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke answers Lexa's question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> A bit of a shorter chapter for you, but I think you'll like where it goes. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Or um, maybe you could stay here?”

Lexa nervously breathed the words out. _That didn’t sound too creepy right?_

“You would let me stay?” Clarke asked bashfully.

_I might let you stay forever._

“Yeah, of course, I mean if you’re comfortable staying here. If not I can take you wherever you want to go when the storm passes, thought it might be a while. I have a spare bedroom, I just put clean linens on the bed this morning, yesterday was laundry day and even though I wasn’t expecting company, or never do really, I always like to wash them and keep them fresh, just in case.” _Shut up you rambling idiot!_

Clarke’s smile grew the longer Lexa rambled on. “I would like that.”

Lexa bounded up from the couch, unable to contain her excitement at the prospect of Clarke staying here. “Great! Great.” _Calm down. “_ I um, I’ll get your bag for you and show you to it.” Lexa practically dove for Clarke’s bag collecting it from the floor awkwardly.

Clarke continued to grin. “Lead the way.”

The room was small, but very cozy, just as Lexa intended it to be. It was all white shiplap with the wall behind the bed painted a moss green. Lexa had just redone the room over the winter. It was the last one in the house that needed modernizing, while her own room was decidedly more masculine, she opted to make this room a touch more feminine, with pale creams and yellows and the pop of green as a focal point. She kept the antique wrought iron bedframe that had been hers for most of her life before she upgraded to the king size that was in her much larger bedroom.

“It’s lovely.” Clarke observed as she took in the room. She wandered over to the large windows, watching the rain beat at window pane. “This storm is crazy.”

It was crazy. Lexa hadn’t seen a storm like this roll through in a long time. The clerk had texted her on the way back from Ricky’s informing her that everyone out in the fields were safe and accounted for. She knew the animals out in the pastures would instinctively seek shelter, of which they all had ample access to. But Lexa did make a mental note to go and check on all of them after the worst of it had passed.

“So. Make yourself at home, I’m going to go get a fire started to help chase the chill out of the house. You need anything?” Lexa asked as she made towards the bedroom door.

“I’m good. A little hungry though, wouldn’t mind some more of that presumably vegan buffalo mac and cheese you have out there.”

Lexa smiled. “Very vegan, I’ll get us set up for dinner.”

Lexa stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. She was near giddy at the prospect of Clarke staying with her. _Here, staying here, not with you, slow your roll kid._

“Right.” She told herself as she made her way to the fireplace and began to set up the kindling for the fire. Thankfully she had enough wood stored neatly next to the fireplace to likely get them through a few days, as she was sure the pile outside would be waterlogged for a while. She opened the damper and knelt down by the fireplace and set up the paper and kindling and stacked the logs in a grid around them just like her father showed her many years ago. She struck a match and placed it underneath the paper, lighting it in a few strategic spots before tossing the wooden match into the flames. “One match Dad, just like you taught me.” She spoke proudly.

In a few minutes the fire was burning quite nicely, Lexa stood up and rubbed her hands together, warming them from the heat of the fire. Clarke was right, the storm had brought a definite nip to the air. Lexa guessed the temperature had probably dropped twenty degrees in the last hour or so. Once her hands warmed she went to the kitchen, grabbing four bowls, spoons, forks and glasses for dinner fixing them both up with place settings at the table. Lexa then threw together a quick salad to accompany their mac and cheese.

She was placing that on the table when Clarke emerged from the guest room. She had changed into a loose fitting pair of jeans and fuzzy purple socks. The only part of her original outfit that remained was the hoodie that she borrowed from Lexa.

_She’s so beautiful._

“Oh its nice and warm out here.” Clarke observed as she picked up both bowls and proceeded to the crock pot. _She knows her way around the house pretty well already, she must feel comfortable._ “How much for you?” Clarke asked, catching Lexa staring. _Dammit!_ Lexa darted her eyes away quickly, resuming her fussing over the salad. _Maybe if I keep tossing this she’ll pretend like she didn’t catch me gawking at her…again._

“Fill ‘er up” Lexa chuckled awkwardly.

She placed salad in two of the bowls for them, it wasn’t anything fancy, just some tomatoes, cucumbers carrots, and lettuce. “Looks good.” Clarke observed as she sat down, placing Lexa’s bowl in front of her first. Another crack of lightening and rumble of thunder rang out, shaking the little house. They both looked up at the ceiling, as if it was transparent and they could see up to the sky.

“Damn. It must be right on top of us now, at least the wind isn’t too bad.” Lexa spoke before digging a spoon into her mac and cheese. She blew on the steamy noodles and faux cheese combo before taking a bite. She looked across the table and noticed Clarke doing the same.

“This is so good.” Clarke spoke between bites. “How do you make it cheesy without the cheese?”

“Pureed white beans thicken the sauce and nutritional yeast makes it taste cheesy.” Lexa replied as she jabbed a cherry tomato with her fork. “It’s one of Anya’s recipes, I just add some hot sauce to make it buffalo style. I used to love hot wings before I became vegan.”

“Mmm, I love hot wings too. But this, this might be the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had- oh you should make mac and cheese pizza with this!”

“Mac and cheese pizza?” Lexa had never heard of such a creation.

“Yep.” Clarke swallowed her mouthful of food. “My dad made it all the time when I was a kid, sometimes plain, sometimes with barbeque chicken, or pulled pork, or taco meat, but he did make a mean broccoli one too.” She added with a grin.

“Well,” Lexa smiled. “I’ve always wanted to try to make pizza dough. Maybe we can do that tomorrow for lunch.” _If you’ll be here for lunch._

“Yes!” Clarke replied enthusiastically, “we are totally making that for lunch tomorrow.”

Lexa couldn’t hold back her grin.

They continued to eat their dinner, making small talk in between the storm’s frequent interruptions. After they were done, Clarke offered to wash the dirty dishes, but Lexa decided to just place them in her woefully underused dishwasher. Clarke, not content to be an unhelpful guest, offered to put away the food to which, after some grumbling about being a bad host, Lexa finally obliged.

When Clarke opened her fridge, Lexa spied a bottle of wine that had been that had been a birthday gift from Anya sitting in the back. Lexa didn’t drink wine often, she generally preferred beer, but she did enjoy a good semi –sweet rosé from time to time.

_Is it too much if I ask her to drink it with me? Probably. How do I ask her without it sounding weird? Maybe she doesn’t drink? No. I think I saw her looking at wine in the store earlier. But she didn’t buy any. What if she thinks I’m only trying to get her drunk? What if she thinks I’m trying to take advantage of her?_

Lexa debated the idea for a few minutes as Clarke continued to clean up. “You alright there Lexa? You seem a bit lost.”

_Oh shit. How long have I been standing here?_

“Oh, um,” _Think of something!_ “I was just trying to remember where I keep the wine glasses.”

_Well that’s one way to bring it up._

“O…k.” Clarke shot her a lopsided smile before a thought hit her. “Hey are you going to open up that bottle of wine I saw in the fridge? I’d love to try it!”

_Yes!_

“I wasn’t planning to… but since you mentioned it.”

_Smooth Lexa._

They settled in on the floor around the fire as Clarke expressed she was still a bit cold. Lexa had some comfortable floor pillows and throw blankets that she had set up for them after their dinner clean up. Clarke had retrieved a bakery box that she had acquired from their trip to the store earlier. “Raspberry mousse whoopie pie for you,” she held the box open for Lexa who quickly accepted the treat,” and another donut for me.”

It didn’t take Clarke long to eviscerate her donut, which Lexa enjoyed and appreciated. She liked a girl who wasn’t afraid to enthusiastically relish her food. She topped off Clarke’s wine when she was finished. “Mmmm,” Clarke hummed in between sips. “This rosé is fantastic. Perfect with dessert.”

It was actually pretty good; Lexa would have to send Anya a text later thanking her for it. “It does pair well.” She added as she finished off the last bite of her dessert.

Clarke stretched her legs out, curling her toes towards the fireplace. “This fire is nice too, so soothing, I can’t remember the last time I relaxed in front of one.”

“Sometimes I like to make a nice fire and snuggle up on the couch with some herbal tea and a good book.” Lexa chuckled as she stretched her own legs out, pointing her toes towards the fire. “That was actually the plan for tonight.”

Clarke reached over and patted her thigh, “I’m sorry I disturbed your plans.” Lexa fixed her eyes on the point where she and Clarke touched, then back up at the girl next to her. Her blue eyes sparkled in the glow of the fireplace, the tempest within then that Lexa had noticed earlier in the day was now seemingly calm. Her eyes drifted lower. _She has the most adorable beauty mark above her lip, those lips that look so soft._

_Kiss her._

It was all she wanted, to feel Clarke, to touch Clarke. Her eyes traveled up again then back down.

_Kiss her._

They had been so close before, had her phone’s alert system not interrupted her she was certain they would have. _C’mon Lex, what happened to all that bold sass you gave her when she showed up at your door? Where’s all that confidence now?_

An extremely loud crack of lightning and thunder shook the tiny house again and Clarke reflexively squeezed Lexa thigh, but Lexa never stopped looking at her face. She watched as Clarke’s eyes traveled nervously to the closest window, probably trying to gauge the severity of that last lightning strike. It did sound very close, but Lexa couldn’t find it in herself to care. She watched as the calm returned, as facial muscles eased, and the worry creases in her forehead waned. _God she is so beautiful._ She also saw the fraction of a second where Clarke realized where her hand still was and what it had been doing. “I’m sor-” Clarke’s apology had died on her lips as Lexa finally removed the space between them.

Lexa brought up her hand to cup Clarke’s cheek as they kissed, not content with only two points of contact on the girl. It was slow and languid, how their lips moved against the other’s. Both taking the time to map out each other, Lexa turned her head to explore from a different angle, bumping Clarke’s nose with her own, she resumed their kiss, her tongue teasing Clarke’s before slipping inside. Kissing Clarke was unlike anything she had ever experienced before, if felt natural, like it was what she had always been meant to do. Their dance was perfect, with none of the awkwardness that you can have with a first kiss. Lexa didn’t believe in a higher being and held firm on her belief organized religion was as Edgar Allan Poe would state, “…evolved out of fraud, fear, greed, imagination, and poetry.” But, she did believe that things, all things, happened for a reason. There were no coincidences, no luck, no chance. There was a purpose for everything, you just had to figure out what that purpose was. Lexa began to smile into the kiss. _There was a reason she showed up here today, maybe this was it._

That’s when she noticed Clarke’s hand that was still on her thigh, drifting north.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They Kissed!!!!! Finally!


	7. Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> First, I just want say, I hope everyone is well.  
> Second, I am reading all your comments and I'm loving every single one of them! You guys sure do know how to make a writer feel loved and appreciated!  
> Third, this chapter is fluffy but also has some serious introspection for Clarke, she's learning what she wants and who she wants.  
> Fourth, Lexa's a chivalrous country girl.  
> Fifth, I typed a word in this fic that I never would have imagined ever including in a work of fanfiction. Can you guess what it is? I'll let you know if your right next update!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Enjoy!

Clarke’s hand was still on Lexa’s thigh, drifting north.

Clarke didn’t see Lexa’s eyes widened nervously as Clarke’s fingertips edged dangerously close to the place where Clarke wanted to touch her. 

_God, I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want her._

She could feel Lexa’s muscled thigh flexing underneath her touch, the hitch of Lexa’s breath noticeable as Clarke’s hand continued its journey. Lexa let out a barely audible but absolutely contented sigh as she turned her head to deepen their kiss.

_I want her._

_I want to lay her down on these blankets and consume every inch of her._

_I want to worship in her church._

_I want her to show her exactly what she does to me._

_I want her to never forget me._

Clarke squeezed her eyes closed even tighter, biting back her arousal, the last thought needling at her brain. It was the one thing she found unacceptable about this whole situation. That in a few days, she would be gone and Lexa would forget her, or chalk her up to a passing good time, a fleeting one-night stand that lasted a few long days. For Clarke, that future was utterly unacceptable.

She deepened the kiss even further, trying to convey to Lexa what she really wanted.

_I want to fall asleep with her cuddled into my side._

_I want to wake up with her next to me._

_I want to make her breakfast and pour her a cup of herbal tea._

_I want to bake her a birthday cake._

_I want to fall into her arms after a bad day._

_I want to sit on the porch with her and watch the seasons change with glasses of lemonade in our hands._

_I want to find a place in her heart._

_I want **her**._

Lexa reached down and covered Clarke’s hands with her own, fingertips ghosting over each other, encouraging Clarke to move further. “Lexa.” Clarke whispered reverently as she broke their kiss.

“I can’t.”

Lexa pulled her hand away immediately and shuffled back, putting a generous amount of space between them.

“I’m sorry. I thought- “

“No.” Clarke spoke softly reclosing the gap between them as she realized exactly what Lexa must have thought. “Lexa.” she reached up and gently stroked Lexa’s cheek, feeling ashamed at the look of fear and regret in Lexa’s wide eyes. “I want this. I wanted you to kiss me.” Lexa blinked hard, absorbing what Clarke was telling her. Clarke could feel under her palm the second Lexa’s face relaxed. The dread of stomping over invisible lines easing away as she imperceptibly leaned into Clarke’s touch.

Clarke subconsciously licked her lips, relishing the taste of Lexa still on them. Clarke took a deep breath, trying to fire up the courage to explain to Lexa exactly what it was she wanted. 

_Tell her._

She looked into the eyes staring back at her, still wide, but filled with emotions Clarke could not quite decipher.

_Tell her what else you want._

“I know we only met today and this is probably moving wayyyyy too fast. We don’t live anywhere near each other and I’m not even a vegan…but, I don’t want this to be a one-night thing.” Clarke took another breath, trying to calm her now racing heart. “I want this to be more than tonight. More than the next few days. I want more Lexa.”

Those eyes, that the flickered gold in the light of the fire burning in front of them, finally softened, her lips turning up in a shy smile.

“I want that too.”

_I will hold you to that._

Clarke leaned in and got another taste of those beautifully delicious lips, barely able to contain her own smile. The kisses stayed mild, travelling hands self-confined to safer zones. They kissed and teased for a little while, both keeping their kisses above the collar line before Lexa broke the exploration.

“Let me take you on a date.” Lexa whispered as she rested her forehead against Clarke’s.

“Right now?” Clarke grinned.

Lexa chuckled. “Well….as romantic as sharing a bottle of wine in front of a roaring fire is. Lexa picked at a fuzz on Clarke’s borrowed hoodie. “I want to woo you. I want to give you flowers and vegan baked goods and a bottle of reasonably priced dessert wine.” She smiled adorably and Clarke couldn’t help but kiss those lips once again.

“Will you let me take you on a proper date tomorrow?”

Clarke nodded. “Yes.”

***

The thunderstorm continued into the wee hours of the morning, lessening in intensity as the time dragged on. Clarke and Lexa had parted after another short but very satisfying make out session leaving Clarke staring at the rain still beating at her bedroom window. She was tired, it had been quite a day after all, but her eyes refused to close.

There was a bubbling excitement lingering deep in her chest after the events of the day. Never did she expect when she left her apartment this morning, that her whole life would be upended by a gorgeous farmer.

Things in her life had been going well for the most part. Her career was taking off and she was really making quite a reputation for herself in the industry. Her sister was a happy, well-adjusted, legally certified genius, who was a few months away from joining NASA to take this world, and many other worlds, by storm. Their parents were healthy, and somehow after thirty years of marriage still very much in love. It used to drive Clarke crazy when she was younger, how much her parents were still all over each other, engaging in all kinds of teenager cringing displays of PDA. But now, as she got older, she learned to appreciate her parent’s relationship. It was an example of a healthy, loving, respectful partnership and it was one she hoped to emulate with the person she would one day chose as her own life partner.

She thought that person was Finn once.

But now, her imagination was picturing a brunette with green eyes and a sweet smile, who was probably adorable snuggled up in her own bed right now, as a possible candidate.

_Calm your tits, you only met her today._

Clarke smiled at her own restless thoughts.

_She does have potential though._

_Maybe I should text Finn and thank him for recommending that car._

***

Clarke cracked her eye open the next morning as she peeked out from a fluffy cocoon of soft blankets. She was certain a loud and distinct noise had roused her from her slumber, but as she strained her ears to try to determine what that noise was, she was met only with the steady sound of rain. She took in her surroundings, noticing the still very dark gray tinge to the sky outside as little drops still gently tapped at her windows.

She watched the world move by her outside for a little while before the gentle lull of sleep pulled at her again, her eyelids slowly drooping shut.

She was almost back in dreamland when she heard the noise again.

_There it is again… that noise._

Clarke’s eyes hesitantly opened again as she moved to push a wayward curl of hair back from her face.

_Is that a fucking rooster?_

**COCKADOODLEDOO**

_Yes, that is most certainly a fucking rooster._

Clarke shuffled up, sitting against the many fluffy pillows Lexa had on this bed. After quickly determining Lexa must have a thing for pillows, as they seemed to be, well …everywhere in this house. Clarke picked up her phone, eyes taking a minute to adjust to the brightness of her screen as she looked at the time.

10:18

_Wow? How did I sleep so late? I’m usually awake for a few hours by now._

Clarke shrugged it off and decided to check her emails before starting her day.

“Did my noisy cock wake you up?”

Clarke looked up from her phone to see Lexa leaning against the open doorway. Her hair was tucked away in another braid, today she had on a red Phillies baseball t-shirt and a darker pair of blue jeans, her feet were still only sock clad.

_I wake up looking like a troll that got run over by a bus and she starts her day like this. How is she this effortlessly beautiful?_

Clarke smiled as she ran her hands through her hair, trying to tame her uncooperative locks. “Somebody’s cock sure did.”

Lexa broke out in a laugh as she stepped into the bedroom. “Oh trust me, that one’s mine. My cock is pretty hard to forget.” Lexa was sure to put the right emphasis on the word hard.

Clarke grinned as Lexa sat down and situated herself on the end of Clarke’s bed. “Is that so?”

“Yep. Trust me, once you meet my cock, you'll find its so impressive, you’ll have trouble remembering your own name.” Lexa added with a wink.

Clarke playfully rolled her eyes. _That damn sexy wink and smirk. Gets me every time._

Clarke reached down and grabbed Lexa’s hand, prompting her to sit next to Clarke, with Lexa did with a shy smile. She settled in as Clarke spoke. “Speaking of names, does your cock have one?”

Lexa chuckled as she bumped her shoulder playfully into Clarke. “Stan.”

“Stan?” Clarke asked her eyebrow quirked. “That’s an unusual name for a cock.”

“Yes it is.” Lexa smiled. “You should meet my Ovis aries.”

“Your ovaries?”

Lexa shook her head as her smile stretched bigger. “My Ovis aries, more commonly known as sheep. Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia.”

_Of course she loves the Golden Girls! How is she this perfect?_

Clarke chuckled. “Well it makes sense then that Stan is the name of your noisy annoying cock.”

“Indeed.”

Clarke rested her head on Lexa’s shoulder, picking up her left and playing with her fingers. She felt something wash over her in that moment, as they sat silently together…contentment.

There were many times, especially in the beginning of their relationship, where she felt happy with Finn. He was charming and attentive and knew all the right things to say and do to (literally) charm her pants off. And she could admit, he had made her happy once, but she never felt content. 

Her college psychology professor always explained it to her as this: happiness was largely the passive result of attainment. She had attained a handsome boyfriend and was immersed in a serious romantic relationship with him, which was by society’s standards, something considered to be good. Contentment however, was having one’s desire bound by what one already has. When she finally had him, finally had accomplished the first step of fulfilling her societal obligations as an adult woman (meet man, marry man, have kids by man) she never felt content with what she had.

Maybe it was that in 2020, she was still expected to be bound to patriarchal and heteronormative expectations. Expectations that were voiced by people who knew her, who she loved and respected. Her favorite aunt for example, “Oh you’re not engaged yet, what’s he waiting for? You’re not getting any younger dear.” Her very religious and old fashioned grandmother, “A woman’s place is to support her husband and to defer to him in all matters.” And her personal favorite from her own mother no less, “You went to college, you spent your early twenties going out, you partied and had your fun. It’s time for you to settle Clarke.”

Settle.

Even though she understood the context of how her mother was using the word, it still stuck in her craw.

Settle.

Why should she settle for what she had, if she wasn’t content with what she had?

The thing is though, she would have. She was happy and she certainly wasn’t thinking there may be anything better out there. She probably would have married Finn and had a few kids by him, and done the one thing she swore up and down she would never do.

Settle.

Finn really did do her a huge favor by being unfaithful.

And coercing her into buying a car she didn’t want.

A car she settled for.

As she played with the slightly calloused hand of the woman sitting beside her, the woman that smelled like fresh flowers and bergamot, she finally felt the one thing she never felt with Finn or anyone else. Happy with what she had. Her career, her life in general, and the prospect of staring something new with Lexa.

~~Settled.~~

Contentment.

She smiled as she turned her nose in to Lexa’s shirt and took in a deep breath. Eager to spend time with Lexa, to get to know her better, to fall blissfully further into her contentedness, bubbled within her veins.

She picked her head up and pecked Lexa’s cheek. “Can I meet your Golden Girls?”

“I already went out and checked on all of them first thing this morning, I was nervous since the storm was so bad last night. They’ve all been fed and the barn cleaned out, but I can take you down after lunch?”

_MACARONI AND CHEESE PIZZA!_

“Sounds good to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you find the word? Let me know!
> 
> And is anyone surprised Lexa loves the Golden Girls?


	8. Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> I know this update is a week late, but I’ve had some craziness these past few weeks, nothing serious just life stuff. But it did delay this chapter and I apologize. And congratulations to READINGREADER! They were the only person to correctly guess the word from the last chapter which was COCKADOODLEDOO! Never in my AO3 career did I think I would type that word out in a fic. A lot of you had very good and entertaining guesses, but alas READINGREADER was the only one to guess correctly. I thank you all for the comments, you make it all with the effort. 
> 
> There is a link at the end relative to this chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

Lexa had planned exactly three first dates in her life. The first, for Ellie Martin. Ellie was her first girlfriend. They dated for exactly two and a half months over the summer between high school and college, before Ellie and her family moved to a relative’s farm in Wisconsin. The second was for Costia Gibson. Costia was her first love, her first big all encompassing love. And well, we all know how that turned out. The third was for Clarke Griffin. Clarke was her…well she wasn’t exactly sure what Clarke was quite yet. But she knew exactly what she wanted Clarke to be.

Around for a very, very long time.

She almost couldn’t believe how fast she was falling for this girl. Love at first sight was a boring romantic movie trope right? Designed to lure in prospective viewer with whirlwind tales of chivalric love and romanticized adventure. That overused cliché bullshit didn’t happen in real life. Did it?

Her eyes wandered over to the girl sitting across from her currently housing several pieces of the pizza they made for lunch. She bit off another piece, her eyes closed as she chewed, throughly relishing the taste of her food. Lexa hid her smile behind her own slice of mac and cheese pizza. Clarke blew into her life like the thunderstorm that blew across her land, shaking the very foundation of her house.

Maybe that romantic movie trope did happen in real life.

“This pizza is so good.” Clarke managed to get out clearly between bites.

“It is.” Lexa agreed. “I think your father might be on to something.”

“Daddy is pretty much a genius.” Clarke smiled as she took a sip of her iced tea.

Lexa finished her food. They opted to go with crispy fried tofu on top of their buffalo mac and cheese, the vegan pizza dough coming out better than Lexa even imagined. It wasn’t the healthiest of lunches, but thankfully they had a light breakfast of coffee and fruit.

Even though they didn’t spend the night together, waking up and seeing Clarke in penguin print pajama pants and Lexa’s borrowed hoodie, sitting across from her at her kitchen table, sipping coffee as she tried to wrangle her bed hair with her free hand stirred something deep inside of Lexa.

The feeling of wanting to see this sight in her home every morning. It was all Lexa could think about as she went out and did her morning chores, finishing back up as fast as possible so she could come back home to Clarke.

Lexa blinked that thought away. _Home to Clarke?_ _It was far too soon to think of that._

_Wasn’t it?_

She cleared her throat. “I know I promised you could go meet the Golden Girls this afternoon, but I have to go tend to a few things. Would it be alright if I took you over another time?” Lexa asked and Clarke easily agreed. “I will be back by 4:30 at the latest. Feel free to shower, _don’t think of her naked in your shower,_ or do whatever you need to do.”

“Ok.” Clarke grinned as she popped the last of her food in her mouth. She had spent the morning in her pajamas. Lexa had been up, dressed, out to do her morning routine and back before Clarke even moved from the breakfast table, but Clarke didn’t seem to have been in any hurry to start her day.

“When will we be going on our date? Where will we be going? How should I dress?”

_Adorable, but swift change in conversation._

Lexa stood up and placed her plate in the sink. “Well, I don’t want to give too much away, but….” She walked over to Clarke’s chair, leaning down to whisper in her ear, “we will be going somewhere on this property.” She kissed the side of her neck, relishing the shiver it seemed to elicit in Clarke “dress warmly.” And with that, she stood up and walked out the door, leaving a blushing Clarke sitting at her kitchen table.

Lexa closed the back door behind her and walked down the few steps on her back porch.

_Well fuck._

You see, she hadn’t really quite planned anything yet.

***

Lexa stepped out of the ute dodging the rain and rushed in the back door of the store. _Where the hell is Lincoln?_

She spied the big man in the back of the kitchen, going over this morning’s food deliveries. She must’ve caught his eye as he turned to greet her. “Hey boss.” He smiled warmly, as he always did. While he looked like a menacing, muscled up, mohawked Sons of Anarchy extra, especially when he rode his Harley to work. In reality, he was nothing but a big, soft, cuddly teddy bear.

“Hey Linc.” She waved nervously at the man. “Everything good with the order?”

He looked at her suspiciously as she did not normally personally check in on the deliveries. “Yeah, looks like we got everything we need for the new group of recipies.” He put the clipboard he was holding down on the stainless steel table that occupied the back wall of the kitchen. “You alright Lexa?”

“Uh.”

_Oh yeah, forgot he was also super empathic and can see through me in about two seconds._

“Well.” She scratched at he back of her neck. _Why am I so damn nervous? She spent the night at my house already, she ate my food, we already kissed. Why is this date shaking all my confidence?_ Lexa took a deep breath to try and clear her head. _“_ So there’s a girl.”

“A girl?” He smile grew even wider.

“Yes a girl. And I may need to plan a first date that I have to be at in..” Lexa checked her watch. “Four hours and I have no idea what to do!”

Lincoln walked over to her and put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. It worked as it instantly calmed her nerves. _How does he do that?_

_“_ You like her.”

“I do, Linc, I really do.”

“I’m happy for you Lexa.” He spoke softly with a twinkle in his soft caramel eyes.

“Thanks.”

“So.” He crossed his arms and leaned back against another stainless steel prep table. “Did you have anything in mind for this date?”

Lexa leaned back against the table she was next too, her hands picking at a loose string on her blue jeans. “I sort of promised her a few things.”

Lincoln raised his eyebrow quizzically. “Like?”

“Well, that the date would be somewhere on the property and to dress warmly.”

Lincoln chuckled as she shook his head. “The treehouse.”

_The fucking treehouse! Why didn’t I think of that!_

Lexa pushed herself off the table. “Lincoln, you are a goddamned genius.” She slapped the big man on the shoulder as she made her way past him and back out the door.

“Please remember that when we do our yearly performance reviews!” He shouted over his shoulder with a knowing grin.

***

“Ok.” Lexa backed up as she looked over her work. “This is…I think this is pretty perfect actually.” The treehouse had been the latest addition to the farm. Constructed next to a ravine that held a copse of large oak and cherry trees, the building was made from recycled materials from the rest of the farmland. Reclaimed barn wood lined the walls, reclaimed doors from the old storehouse lined the ceiling, and the floor was reclaimed walnut from one of the old dairy barns. The windows, save one decorative arched insert that was from her house, were the only things that were new as Lexa wanted them to be as energy efficient as possible.

It sat on a section of the property Lexa was had been trying to rehabilitate for years. It overlooked an abandoned rock quarry that had been cleared and made safe to be turned into a small man made lake by her parents. She had it inspected again recently to make sure it was safe for swimmers and built a small dock. It was meant to be sellable amenity as the treehouse was intended to be an AirBnb rental, another source of income for the property. Only it wasn’t quite finished yet. It still needed some furnishings, and a few last minute details. Lexa had intended to stay in it next weekend, to make sure everything was up to snuff before opening it for guests next month. But she thought tonight would be as good a night to break it in as any.

She climbed up the ladder and inspected the loft bedroom one more time. She had placed clean sheets and bedding on the bed just in case. Not that she expected anything from Clarke, and she hoped that making the bed wouldn’t put any undue pressure on the girl, Lexa had every intention of sleeping on the small pull out couch on the main floor and letting Clarke have the bedroom if, and it was entirely up to the blonde, if, Clarke decided they would spend the night.

Thankfully the well water and solar power had already been hooked up and the potbelly stove that provided heat for the small house was ready to go. She luckily had the foresight to have enough wood inside to last them at least two days as the rain had yet ceased to let up. She placed the last of the food she had brought into the fridge. Content that she had everything prepared as well as she could, Lexa set to go back to the homestead and pick up Clarke.

***

Lexa stepped out of her shower, feeling refreshed. She walked from her en-suite bathroom to her bed, toweling her hair to a damp dry. She popped on her sports bra and matching boy shorts. _I know nothing is gonna happen but I don’t want Clarke to catch me in mismatched undergarments._ She then dressed in a plain black t-shirt and a pair of new blue jeans she had been saving for a special occasion, and wooing a beautiful woman definitely counted as a special occasion. She topped it off with her favorite red and black plaid flannel that had been softened by years of wear. She finished off her look with her good pair of relatively clean cowboy boots.

She decided to let her hair dry naturally, opting to forgo her usual braid. She ran her fingers through her curls, taming them for the time being. She tucked her t-shirt into her pants and buttoned up her shirt, rolling up her sleeves to her elbow. She checked her reflection in the mirror one last time before stepping out to meet Clarke.

_Here goes._

Clarke was sitting on one of the couches in the living room, fiddling around on her phone. It was simple sight, normal to everyday life in the 21st century, but the sight of her stopped Lexa dead in her tracks.

_Wow._

Clarke was dressed in a simple soft pink cable knit sweater, over a pair of skinny light blue jeans with a pair of short black boots. In the soft light of her phone she looked almost ethereal. Her hair was layered in soft curls around her face, a thin gold necklace glittering on her pale skin before dipping underneath the v-neck opening of her sweater, nestling snugly between her very ample-

_Nope._

Lexa looked away respectfully, trying hard not to imagine exactly where the rest of that necklace was currently resting.

_Behave yourself._

Clarke looked up from her phone and smiled a blindingly bright smile. “You clean up pretty good Woods.”

Lexa couldn’t help the blush she knew was blooming all over her skin. “You too Griffin.”

Clarke stood up and walked over to Lexa, the smile never faltering from her face. She slid into Lexa’s space, her arms wrapping around Lexa’s lithe frame, her hands resting on the soft cotton covering Lexa’s back. Lexa brought her own arms around Clarke, her fingers drifting over the soft fabric of her sweater. She looked up at Lexa through her long eyelashes, blue eyes twinkling in the light of the room.

_Wow. She is utterly beautiful._

“Am I dressed ok?” Clarke asked innocently enough.

“You’re beautiful.” Lexa’s mouth answered before her brain could tell her to not be so obvious with her thoughts.

Clarke’s grin grew wider. “That’s not what I asked, but thank you.”

“Right.” Lexa chuckled awkwardly. She looked down and raked her eyes quickly over Clarke’s body, like she already didn’t take in every inch of the woman when she walked into the room. “You are dressed perfectly fine.” Before she could help herself, her brain went directly into the danger zone. _Don’t imagine her clothes on the floor of the treehouse bedroom. Don’t imagine her clothes on the floor of the treehouse bedroom. Don’t imagine her clothes on the floor of the treehouse bedro-_

Clarke closed the distance between them and gently pecked Lexa’s lips, breaking her from mentally reciting her newly formed mantra. Clarke’s touch had a way of soothing her, like no one else’s not even Lincoln’s. Lexa let out a long exhale, and with it released the excess nervous energy from her body. Clarke continued to look up at her, Lexa’s few inches of height advantage enhanced even more by the heel on her cowboy boots. “What were you thinking about just now?” Clarke asked in a soft tone.

_Not you naked._

Lexa smiled sheepishly, her blush burning her cheeks. Clarke raised an eyebrow in question, or maybe in suspicion of Lexa’s wandering thoughts. “I was just thinking you should pack an overnight bag.”

Clarke grinned again. “Awfully presumptuous of you Woods.”

“Not for that.” Lexa blushed again. “It just in case you want to stay the night at the place we are going to.”

“You’re finally taking me to your serial killer murder shack aren’t you?”

Lexa rolled her eyes playfully before Clarke snuggled further into her chest.

“Yep.”

***

Lexa brought the Jeep to a stop in front of the walkway that lead up to the treehouse. The walkway was flat slate stone that turned onto wood where is crossed over the ravine that the treehouse was built in. It was lined with wooden posts and rails for safety that blended into the surrounding natural environment. It was one of the things Lexa was adamant about when designing the treehouse, it had to blend naturally into the woods around it, like it had been there for years.

She looked over at Clarke who was staring out the car window. “Is your murder shack… a treehouse?”

“It is.”

Clarke turned back to her, her eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning. “Is this where we are staying tonight?”

Lexa couldn’t help but smile at her excitement. “Only if you want to.”

Clarke looked back to the treehouse for a few seconds before looking back at Lexa. “Take me inside.”

Lexa led them carefully into the treehouse, the large umbrella she stored in the Jeep keeping them dry. It was starting to get dark outside, but thankfully the path was lit up by solar lights. She was eager to show Clarke the whole outside of the treehouse and the rest of the nearby property, but that would have to wait until tomorrow’s daylight.

Once they were safely inside, she moved to the potbelly stove, quickly stoking a fire to chase the chill from the air. Once her task was complete, she watched on as Clarke inspected the treehouse. Her fingers trailed over the the wood of the countertops in the kitchen. Lexa could see the artist in Clarke taking in the design aesthetic of the place she had created. She wanted to impress her, she did not know why exactly. The only people she ever wanted to impress or wanted approval from were her parents, but right now, she wanted Clarke’s approval.

Clarke walked over to one of the wood clad walls, closely inspecting the faded paint on the barn wood. “This place is amazing Lexa.”

Lexa beamed, happy to have secured Clarke’s approval. “Thank you. I worked very closely with the architect to get it just right.”

Clarke’s eyes wandered to the reclaimed wooden doors that made up the ceiling. “You did a hell of a job. Are all of those reclaimed?”

“Yes, almost all of them are from structures around the farm, we were a couple short so we got them from an architectural salvage company. We tried to reuse and repurpose everything we put into here, except the appliances and the windows, I wanted them to be as energy efficient as possible so those are all new.”

Clarke wandered over to the cast iron pot belly stove in the corner of the large living area. “This little stove throws off quite a bit of heat.”

_Still not as hot as you._

Lexa grimaced at her internal monologue.

_Oh my God, keep it in your pants Woods!_

“It is a powerful little bugger.” Lexa responded.

_The stove or your suddenly re-awakened sex drive?_

Lexa pointed a thumb over her shoulder towards the kitchen, looking to distract herself from her thoughts. “I’m going to go get us set up, feel free to look around.”

Lexa sighed as she moved into the kitchen to prepare their appetizer. _Ok, maybe it has been a while since you had sex, like a few years, but that doesn’t mean anything. You didn’t invite her here to seduce her, stop acting like a horny teenager. She deserves better than that._

Lexa pulled out all of the items she brought over earlier. She put together a vegan charcuterie board with a cashew cheese ball, mushroom pate, hummus and an assortment of olives, pickles, cut up vegetables, grapes, crackers, nuts and flat breads. She was able to get most of it from the farm store, she went back after she decided exactly what she was going to do for Clarke to gather supplies. Lincoln was kind enough to to give her some food and wine ideas and provided her with the dessert, a vegan blueberry buckle with vegan vanilla coconut ice cream, that was currently parked in the treehouse fridge until later. The rest she stopped by the local market to collect.

She brought the charcuterie board over to the small coffee table before going back for plates napkins and silverware. Clarke must’ve finished her self-guided tour, for she snuck up behind Lexa and wrapped her arms around her waist, standing on her toes to rest her chin on Lexa’s shoulder. “What can I do to help?”

Lexa smiled as she felt the warm hands around her abdomen, both simultaneously calming and stimulating the flock of butterflies in her belly. “Open the wine?” Clarke kissed her cheek before releasing her and opening the bottle of wine Lexa had left on the counter. Clarke poured them two glasses and walked over to the small living area. “This board looks delicious Lex.”

_Lex._

_She’s already given me a nickname._ Lexa smiled as she joined Clarke in the living area.

“Thank you. I hope you like everything.”

Lexa walked over to the far wall and pulled down the big white screen she set up earlier. “I know its pretty cliché for a first date, but i thought we could have dinner and a movie?” Lexa asked hopefully.

“That sounds lovely.” Clarke replied as she settled onto the couch. “I haven’t had a movie date in a long time.”

Lexa smiled, happy at her choice for their first date. “Great! I loaded up a bunch of movies on my IPad. I have Legally Blonde, Princess Bride, The Wedding Singer, Back to The Future, Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, oh and Philadelphia Story and Casablanca if your into oldies.”

“Oooo, lets watch Casablanca. I love that movie.”

_Me too._

She hooked her iPad up to the portable digital projector ad speakers she had set up. The sun had finally set, the night sky still dark with rain clouds. Lexa turned down the overhead lights and lit the ample cache of candles she had scattered around the place earlier in the day. The candlelight, the ultimate romantic movie along with the rain gently tapping at the windows set the exact scene Lexa was looking for in a first date.

They settled into the couch, hips and thighs touching each other even though there was plenty of room for them to spread out. They began munching on the charcuterie board, Lexa explaining to Clarke what each unfamiliar item was with Clarke taking a generous sample from each. Lexa was pleased to find that Clarke seemed to love everything she picked out, including the wine.

Clarke settled back into the couch as the movie played on.

“I am shocked, shocked to find gambling going on in here!”

“You’re winnings sir.”

“Oh thank you very much.”

Clarke laughed at the scene, so did Lexa. It was one of her favorite in the movie. “Captain Renault is the best character in this.”

“He does have the funniest lines.” Lexa replied in agreement with Clarke. “Claude Rains really played him well.”

Clarke kicked her shoes off and laid her head on Lexa’s shoulder as she tucked her feet underneath her butt. Her left hand wandered to Lexa’s jean clad thigh, mindlessly drawing patterns in the denim. Lexa’s stomach flipping in sync with the wavy lines of Clarke’s invisible doodles. Her hand would wander up and down Lexa’s thigh and as much as Lexa loved Casablanca, the only thing she could focus on was Clarke’s movements. When Clarke’s hand once again moved a little too high, Lexa practically jumped off the couch.

“I should get dinner ready.” She spat out as fast as her mouth could work, looking to distract herself.

“Oh.” Clarke sat up and stretched her legs out. “I’m actually not that hungry, after the pizza for lunch and all the food we ate from the charcuterie board, I’m actually pretty stuffed.”

Lexa looked over to the board and Clarke was right, they had demolished the spread she put out. She wasn’t exactly hungry either. It was just that Clarke’s hand moved a little too close to the top of her thigh and Lexa had gay panicked like never before.

“Come over and finish the movie.” Clarke patted the seat next to her.

_Don’t be weird. Go sit next to her._

Lexa sat down, this time with a bit of space between her and Clarke. Clarke took Lexa’s hand intertwining their fingers. It was as far as Clarke went and Lexa was thankful she got to watch the rest of one of her favorite movies.

Once the movie finished, Lexa felt Clarke lean against her side. “Would you have let her go? Ilsa?”

Lexa thought about the scene she had just watched, Rick, the protagonist of the movie, putting Ilsa, his great love, on a plane so she could escape with her heroic altruistic husband Victor. She deliberated for a moment, trying to put herself in Rick’s shoes, wondering what decisions she would make. “Even though Rick loved her and she loved him, she belonged to someone else.”

Clarke raised her head and stared into Lexa’s eyes. “You would give up so easily? You’d let the woman you care about go, just like that?”

Lexa looked into the sapphire eyes that sparkled like stars in the twinkle of the candle lights. The tumult was back, storms raging within, the ocean blues swirling with uncertainty. It was a question that revealed Clarke’s innermost fears and vulnerabilities. It was then that Lexa realized they weren’t talking about the movie anymore.

Lexa knew enough about Clarke’s past to understand her doubts. She had a Rick that already left her behind for someone better. Clarke had every right to wonder if Lexa might do the same.

They both understood that what was happening between them was only in its infancy. But Lexa knew, even then, there was no way she could ever betray those eyes that were looking at her so earnestly.

Lexa didn’t know what their future held, but she knew she wanted the same thing Clarke wanted…more.

She reached up and gently caressed Clarke’s cheek. “I’m not Rick.” She hoped the simple statement would give Clarke the reassurance she was looking for. Clarke leaned into her touch, eyes never breaking contact with Lexa’s. Lexa felt her move in, her eyes fluttered closed as Clarke brought their lips together.

The kiss started slow and sweet, before she knew it Clarke’s tongue was in her mouth and her hands had wandered under the fabric of her shirt, palming at her sides. Clarke surged forward and before Lexa knew it she was on her back with Clarke tucked between her legs and everything got hot. Her skin felt electrified and everywhere Clarke touched and kissed felt like tiny bolts of lightening licking at her body. She didn’t know what to do, her hands felt glued to the pink fuzz of Clarke’s sweater. Clarke was directing this movie and Lexa was happy to play the ingenue. The kisses and touches became more heated, their bodies moved together with carnal intention. It didn’t take long before Lexa felt deft hands moving towards the button of her jeans.

_Thank God I wore my matching bra and underwear!_

_Lexa’s treehouse_

[https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/36447849/photos/800503985?locale=en&guests=2&adults=2&s=67&c=.pi115.pk0_9&a4ptk=6071_0_9_43769&af=115&source_impression_id=p3_1601836659_NUugyDZh0Mol4q0y](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/36447849/photos/800503985?locale=en&guests=2&adults=2&s=67&c=.pi115.pk0_9&a4ptk=6071_0_9_43769&af=115&source_impression_id=p3_1601836659_NUugyDZh0Mol4q0y)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be warned, SMUT will happen in the beginning of the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed the first date!


	9. Next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Clarke take the next step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> Here is the last chapter for the story. An epilogue will follow. Thank you all for reading, commenting and supporting this story and this author. You mean the world to me!
> 
> Enjoy!

Clarke turned her head, her eyes blinking before finally cracking open. Once she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she peered out the window that was eye level with the bed. The clouds still covered the farm like a thick blanket, but it appears to be only mist tapping gently at the windows this morning. She stretched out her arms, sheets and blankets revealing her naked torso to the soft daylight creeping into the bedroom. Her muscles were heavy with use and laced with a slight ache. She was sore all the best places and had one person to thank for it.

She rolled over to thank that person in the way she now knew they liked, only to find the other side of the bed cold and empty.

_Where is she?_

Clarke quickly searched the room for its other occupant, finding no trace of the woman. She slowly extracted herself from the warmth of their bed and wrapped herself in one of its blankets before carefully descending the ladder that led from the loft bedroom to the main floor of the treehouse. There was no sign of Lexa, but she smiled as she found her clothes neatly folded on the couch with a yellow post it note attached to her sweater.

**Good Morning,**

**I’m out to do my morning chores, shouldn’t take too long. I set up coffee for you, just press the big button on the Keurig. There’s almond milk in the fridge and a bit of leftover fruit from last night. Can’t wait to crawl back into bed with you.**

**Lexa**

**P.S. Your phone is on the charger.**

Clarke grinned at the neat and precise printing that was Lexa’s handwriting, her heart growing even more fond of the girl that wrote it. She folded it carefully in half before wandering over to the front door where she had dropped her overnight bag. She placed the note in the front pouch of her bag before fishing out a pair of pajama pants and Lexa’s hoodie that she had yet to (and probably wouldn’t) return. She picked up her phone from the counter where Lexa had plugged it in and checked the time. It would be at least an hour before Lexa would return if yesterday’s routine was any indication. Clarke opted to hold off on the coffee and take a quick shower.

She stood under the hot water of the rain head shower, letting the molten liquid pelt her skin. A grin crept up on her face as the memories of the prior night flooded her mind.

Ten Hours earlier…

She slotted herself between Lexa’s thighs. She didn’t know what came over her, maybe it was the way Lexa had planned out the sweetest first date Clarke had ever had, right down to having some of her favorite movies to watch. Maybe it was the way Lexa had fretted over the food choices, making sure there would be plenty for Clarke to enjoy. Maybe it was the way Lexa lovingly reassured her when she showed a faltering moment of vulnerability.

_“I’m not Rick.”_

She wasn’t sure where her flicker of insecurity came from, but those words flipped a switch in Clarke and there was no turning back. Clarke knew in that exact second how their night was going to end.

Clarke had pushed Lexa onto her back and her hands were everywhere. Clarke wanted, no needed to explore every inch of Lexa with her fingertips, taste the salt from her skin on her tongue, feel the heat from her body as it lay under her. Lexa was the perfect combination of softness and muscle, who seemed to fit into and against Clarke’s body like she was made for just that purpose. She did not know what took hold of her, but in that moment all Clarke wanted was Lexa.

She slid her hands down Lexa’s abdomen, looking to relieve Lexa of her clothing starting with her pants. She popped the button and got a satisfied groan from the woman underneath her. The way Lexa was moving with her and against her made Clarke very certain that her intentions were reciprocated, but given that this happened quickly, and they really only knew each other for a little over a day, she needed to secure proper consent.

“Lexa.” Clarke moaned out as she eased up from her onslaught of kisses. She raised up and put a bit of distance between them as Lexa adorably tried to chase her lips in a futile attempt to reconnect them. Lexa’s eyes popped open when she finally realized that Clarke was out of her reach. “Clarke?” She whispered, clearly confused at the sudden stop in their activity.

“I just want to make sure that this is what you want.”

“What?” Lexa asked confused, as she propped herself up on her elbows.

“We don’t have to do this. If you want to stop, I’d be glad to watch another movie. You said you had Back to the Future, we could watch that.”

Lexa broke out into a smile. “I don’t want to watch Back to the Future.”

Clarke sat up on her knees. “Well what do you want to do then?”

Lexa reached up with one hand and wrapped it around the back of Clarke’s neck, pulling Clarke close.

“You.”

She reconnected their lips and Clarke swore she saw stars bursting behind her eyelids. Lexa kisses were simultaneously sweetly gentle and burning with a deep and fierce intensity. Her hands dipped under the fuzzy cotton of Clarke’s sweater and met soft skin. Clarke could feel the goosebumps on her flesh that raised from the adept movement of Lexa’s hands, which like her lips were gentle yet intense.

Finn had always been grabby, gentle was not in his wheelhouse, but in Clarke’s experience, that seemed to be the case for most men. Women, however, were so different. Clarke always felt a different energy and a deeper level of intimacy with women. Sugar and spice and everything nice applied to the bedroom as far as Clarke was concerned. And this woman, this woman was already rocking her world.

Lexa was attempting to take the upper hand in this encounter, flipping Clarke onto her back in one swift move that was both a surprise and an incredible turn on from the show of sheer strength alone.

_Oh, so you’re a top are you?_

Clarke pushed against her as she tried to assume their previous position and was quickly rebuffed with a decisive grunt as Lexa pressed her weight down on her, trapping her in place. Normally Clarke would find this assertion of dominance highly annoying, but in this case, Clarke nearly purred like a kitten at the alpha like display. Clarke couldn’t explain it, but everything about it just felt so right.

Lexa lips attacked her neck, sucking on the sensitive spot she had quickly found as she ground her hips into Clarke’s center. They were dry humping like horny teenagers on the family sofa, and it felt good, really good. But as good as it felt, Clarke wanted more, she wanted to feel Lexa’s bare skin against her, not be encumbered by layers of cotton and denim.

Lexa clearly felt the same as she slid her hands around Clarke’s back, trying, quite unsuccessfully, to unclasp her bra. Clarke grinned as the woman huffed in frustration against her neck as she clearly couldn’t find the clasp. _She’s so adorable when she’s frustrated._ Clarke pressed a kiss reassuringly into Lexa’s hairline. “It’s in the front.”

Lexa pulled back, hovering above her. Her hair was mussed from where Clarke was running her hands through it, her lips were swollen from their kisses, her flannel was hanging off her left shoulder. Lexa’s entire appearance was disheveled by Clarke’s insistent touches. Gold diamonds flickered in her eyes in the dim candlelight of the treehouse.

_She’s utterly gorgeous._

Lexa smiled radiantly under Clarke’s gaze. “You had to wear a complicated bra, didn’t you?”

“Well I couldn’t make this easy for you.”

Lexa laughed. “Somehow I think nothing about you is ever going to be easy.”

“Nope. Complicating things is how I roll.” Clarke shrugged as she reached up and began unbuttoning Lexa’s flannel with a sly grin. She slid the shirt off Lexa’s shoulders and dropped it on the floor. She then reached down to Lexa’s waist, pulling out her tucked in t-shirt and sliding it over her head, it soon joined the now growing pile of clothing on the floor. Lexa had a black Calvin Klein sports bra on that hugged her in just the right places, but Clarke would have to take the time to appreciate that later, right now she wanted it off. She slid her fingers under the elastic and pulled the bra over Lexa’s head. Lexa’s dipped her head bashfully at her new found nakedness.

“Beautiful.” Clarke whispered as she pulled her close again, bringing Lexa’s weight back down on her. It felt good, to be under Lexa, her body wasn’t excessively heavy. She felt like a perfectly weighted blanket, wrapping Clarke in her warmth and security.

They kissed, long and languid, Lexa was already topless, but her hands wandered along Clarke’s curves respectfully. The restraint, the hesitation, the willful respect Lexa exhibited was admirable. It was also making Clarke extremely wet.

_I want her to touch me._

_I need her to touch me. _

“Lexa.” Clarke moved a hand over one of Lexa’s and moved it to her breast. “Touch me.”

Lexa pulled back, hovering over Clarke, her eyes quietly asking again for permission. Clarke nodded and Lexa quickly removed her sweater, tossing it to the floor. Lexa unhooked her bra and peeled it away from her chest. She then began to gently palm her breast, fingertips lightly teasing over the now stiff peak of Clarke’s nipple. Clarke arched her back, moving into Lexa’s touch but she quickly grew frustrated. She wanted more. “Lexa.” She groaned through a kiss as she dragged her fingernails down Lexa’s bare back. Lexa complied, her lips immediately devouring Clarke’s unattended nipple. Tongue and lips working Clarke into a near frenzy.

Like her kisses, Lexa’s mouth on Clarke’s body was intense yet gentle. She moved from one breast to the other working each into stiff peaks while lavishing the valley in between with soft kisses. Lexa had not even touched Clarke below the belt yet, but the things, the feelings, she was evoking from just this alone had Clarke’s head swimming.

_She’s practically a stranger, why does she feel so right? How does she touch me likes she’s known me for a lifetime?_

Lexa’s hand explored the plane of her stomach, her hand dipping lower until she found the button of Clarke’s jeans. She unpopped it, but moved no further. Clarke took the matter into her own hands and reached between them, unzipping her pants before urging Lexa up so she could slide her jeans and her panties down her legs. They too joined the pile of clothing on the treehouse floor.

Clarke took the opportunity to remove her arms from her bra before going right to Lexa’s waistband. Lexa’s eyes had been focused on the tuft of blonde curls that Clarke had just unceremoniously revealed to her, so it didn’t take much distraction for Clarke to pull Lexa’s pants and underwear down her thighs. She took a second to appreciate the view she was being shown.

_Someone’s fully shaved._

“Like what you see?” Lexa asked with a crooked grin, pulling Clarke’s eyes back to her own. 

“Very much, so lose those pants Woods. So I can fully appreciate the view.”

Lexa complied quickly. _So you’re actually a service top._ Clarke smiled as she processed the information. _Just what I like._

Lexa’s pants, like the rest of their clothing was soon on the floor. Clarke pulled Lexa back down on top of her.

_Finally,_ she thought as she felt Lexa’s surprisingly soft skin on her own. Lexa kissed her again, the heat rising between them seeping into their kisses, their touches becoming more focused and insistent. Soon, Lexa’s kisses drifted to her neck, before making her way down her chest. She stopped briefly at between her breasts, sucking a small mark into the side of one before continuing her journey.

She surprisingly nipped as Clarke’s hipbone, which caused Clarke to let out a tiny yelp, before making her way across to the other and doing the same. Before long, she was settled between Clarke’s thighs, her nose nuzzling the short blonde curls. She hadn’t done anything yet and Clarke’s hands were already threading through Lexa’s hair, eagerly waiting for what she knew was coming next.

The tentative lick almost made Clarke jolt upright. She looked down and met Lexa’s eyes, the satisfied grin on her face was very present, even though Clarke couldn’t actually see it. Lexa held her eyes again as she dipped her tongue in further, giving her a long slow lick, like she was taking the first taste of a tall ice cream cone. Clarke’s head dropped back onto the arm of the couch as Lexa took another long lick, her tongue darting out quickly in between Clarke’s folds to gather a better taste. Lexa made another pass, only this time Lexa hummed as she reached Clarke’s clit.

_Oh my fucking God!_ Was what Clarke thought.

“Oghmnmnnm.” Was all Clarke could actually say.

Lexa wrapped her lips around Clarke’s clit and started sucking softly, the tip of her tongue massaging the bundle of nerves as her left hand pressed Clarke’s undulating hips back down onto the couch.

_Fuck. I’m so close already._

Clarke felt Lexa’s fingertip graze her opening, before slowly sliding in. _And I repeat, Oh my fucking God!_

Lexa was doing that thing that hit her g-spot perfectly and it took only about a minute of this before Clarke ultimately broke.

Her orgasm was silent, which she would later think was surprising to her, for she was usually very vocal in bed, but it was magnificent none the less. Every muscle in her body grew rigid as she peaked, her thighs instinctively trapped Lexa between them, holding her there as she gripped the woman’s hair roughly, pulling her body impossibly closer to the source of her pleasure. If she could form a coherent thought at this point, she would be concerned about possibly suffocating Lexa, but functioning thoughts left her brain the second Lexa entered her.

She opened her eyes, not realizing she had closed them, and looked down at the woman between her legs, she let the grip she had on Lexa soften. Once released, Lexa dropped a soft kiss to the top of her thigh, then the top of her pubic area before making her way back up.

She rested her weight on her elbows as she hovered over Clarke, she stared down at her with a shy smile. “Are you ok?”

“Am I ok?” _Am I ok?_ “That might be the best orgasm I’ve ever had.”

Lexa tilted her head like a puppy, “Huh, what kind of clowns have you been dating Griffin?”

Clarke smiled. “Ones that are terrible at eating me out apparently.”

Lexa chuckled. “So if you had to leave an Airbnb review for this place, I guess I can confidently say you enjoyed yourself then?”

Clarke grinned as she pulled Lexa down for a kiss, tasting herself on Lexa’s lips. “Well, I definitely enjoyed the service.”

Lexa grinned against her lips. “Good review for the service, got it.”

“Speaking of…” Clarke’s voice drifted as Lexa kissed her sensitive spot on her neck again. “I think it’s time I return the favor.”

Lexa picked her head up. “Oh, and what were you thinking?”

“Well,” Clarke took a finger and tapped her chin. _I want to devour you, how’s the politest way to state that?_ Her eyes spied the window seat below the large front windows over Lexa’s shoulder. “Go sit over there,” she pointed to the location, “I’m going to give you something that will knock your socks off.”

Lexa raised an eyebrow. “I’m not wearing any socks.”

Clarke looked down at Lexa’s bare feet, _when did she take those off?_ “Well I’m gonna knock them back on then, now move Woods.”

“So bossy.” Lexa huffed through a smile as she untangled herself from Clarke before moving to where she was directed. She sat on the upholstered bench as directed as Clarke followed standing in front of her, naked as the day she was born.

She could feel Lexa’s eyes on her. The he way they raked over her body, she was sure her farmer was committing as much as she could to permanent memory, same as she was every time she looked at Lexa’s body. There was plenty of muscle. And freckles, delightful freckles, little specks that graced her strong shoulders and dotted her chest and torso. Her legs were tone, muscle peeking out from beneath her flesh every time she moved, but still very supple.

“My socks are waiting.”

Lexa sat with a grin, her arms crossing her stomach as Clarke stood and looked her over. Clarke knew what she wanted to do, she only hoped she could do it near as good as Lexa. “Sit back.” She directed and Lexa did, sliding back further on the bench. Clarke made her way over to her, cupping her face and kissing her lips before dropping to her knees. Lexa’s eyes grew wide as Clarke placed a palm on each knee, spreading her legs apart. She wasted no time and dropped her head between Lexa’s legs.

_She tastes like salted caramel._ That was the thought that stuck with Clarke as she worked her mouth through Lexa’s wet heat. _She shouldn’t,_ Clarke stuck her tongue out and drank from Lexa, _no one should, it’s probably not healthy,_ she stiffened her tongue darting it in and out of Lexa gathering as much of her essence as she could, _but that’s it, that’s exactly what she tastes like._ Clarke’s fingers moved to Lexa’s clit, rubbing tiny circles at different speeds till she found the movement Lexa seemed to like best. “Oh my fucking God!” Lexa cried out as Clarke seemed to hit the perfect spot. _That’s what she said!_ Clarke thought as she continued to work Lexa into a frenzy of obscenities and moans.

She knew the second Lexa came, for she was loud, very loud. She was also barely able to keep herself vertical. Clarke licked her lips, relishing the salted caramel taste one last time before straddling Lexa. She wrapped her arms around her and kissed her forehead. “Socks back on yet?” She teased.

“I think my socks yeeted themselves into the lake.” Lexa replied after she caught her breath. Her thighs still twitching with post orgasm aftershocks. “What did you do to me Griffin?”

Clarke shrugged as she played with Lexa’s hair. “Just properly thanking my car catastrophe savior.”

“Is that all I am?” Lexa looked up at her, her words earnest.

“Oh baby,” Clarke’s tone turned serious. She wanted Lexa to know exactly what she felt. “You are so much more than I could have ever imagined.”

Lexa’s smile returned as she moved her hands to cup Clarke’s ass. “Take me upstairs Griffin.”

Now…

The hot stream of water falling down on Clarke’s face, brought her back to the present, though the she was sure the ever present smile on her face would never fade. Being with Lexa last night was one of the best experiences of her life. She had never been with a lover that was so caring and giving, that worked her body so magically. It was an incredible night.

She had hoped to continue the experience this morning, but understood that Lexa was still working a large farm and had daily responsibilities to oversee. And while that was disappointing, she knew that was Lexa’s life.

She finished cleaning her body, taking care to use the adequate toiletries Lexa had provided. She turned off the water and exited the shower, grabbing the fluffy towel Lexa had brought from her house. She dressed in her pajama pants and Lexa’s hoodie, quickly realizing she must have left her fitness watch up in the loft by the bed. She headed back up to the loft so she could grab it.

She heard Lexa open and step through the door before silently closing it behind her. She probably assumed Clarke was still asleep. Clarke peeked her head out the loft’s door and watched on from above as Lexa tiptoed through the treehouse, shedding her flannel before making her way to the kitchen. She pulled out a mug and began to make herself a cup of coffee.

“Make one for me?”

Clarke smiled to herself as she watched Lexa visibly jump at her words, clearly giving her a fright as she expected to be alone while making herself a beverage. Lexa turned around, her hand still slayed out over her chest as she tried to calm her heart. “You scared me.”

Clarke descended the ladder from the loft and made her way over, wrapping her arms around Lexa. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” She felt Lexa relax in her arms before she leaned down and gave her a kiss.

“Good morning.”

“Mmm. Good morning. You get all your morning chores done?” Clarke released her so she could get her now made coffee.

Lexa handed the cup to Clarke instead, opting to make another for herself. “I did. I told my Golden Girls all about you, they can’t wait to finally meet you.”

“I can’t wait to meet them, and what about your cock? Does your cock want to meet me?”

“Oh baby,” Lexa brushed her hand against the crotch of her jeans suggestively. “My cock can’t wait to meet you.”

Clarke giggled and gave Lexa a playful shove and poke in the ribs with her index finger. “Is that so?”

“Uh huh.” Lexa grinned as she managed to free herself from Clarke’s clutches. Lexa splashed a bit of almond milk into her freshly made coffee.

Clarke moved back next to her and tapped the front of Lexa’s jeans, “maybe next time Stan.”

Clarke grabbed her mug of coffee opting to add a generous amount of almond milk and a heaping spoonful of stevia to her drink before wandering over to the windows that framed the front wall of the treehouse.

Clarke sat down on the upholstered bench in the window nook in front of the large arched window that overlooked the quarry. The flood of memories from what she did to Lexa on this bench last night hit her like a freight train. She smiled, tucking those thoughts away for later as she sat down and looked outside. The rain had finally moved on, the sun sneaking through the breaks in the now partly cloudy sky. It was shaping up to finally be a nice day. Clarke sipped the steaming liquid from the mug she held in her hand as she looked down at the man made lake. Lexa walked over and slipped onto the bench behind her, the smell of hay and earth wafting through the air. Clarke readjusted herself until she was resting in between Lexa’s long legs, her back settled against Lexa’s chest. Clarke hummed contentedly as she sipped her coffee.

There was that word again. Content.

Clarke had felt it before. And in between the moment she had met Lexa on her front porch until now, that feeling had settled deep into her bones. She felt more satisfied with what she had with this relationship that was barely forty-eight hours old than she had in years with Finn.

_That had to mean something, right?_

_They had experienced so much, shared so much, given so much to each other in these last few days._

_They’ve taken the next step and opened that proverbial can of worms._

_The question is….what happens now?_

Lexa snuggled into her, resting her chin on Clarke’s shoulder. “What are you thinking about?”

“What happens next? With us?”

Lexa took in a deep breath before blowing it out. “Well, what do you want to happen?”

Clarke shifted in Lexa’s hold so she could see Lexa’s face. This felt like a face to face conversation. “I want to get my car fixed and go see my sister.”

“Oh.” She could see the instant her words deflated Lexa.

_No. Please don’t ever think that I don’t want you._

“Then I want to come back here and take you on a second date.” She reached up and gently stroked Lexa’s cheek. “Maybe it could end like our first one did?” She added with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Lexa’s bashful smile was everything she didn’t know she needed.

_There’s my girl._

_My girl._

“And then a third date?” Clarke leaned in a pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. “And then a fourth?” Another kiss. “And a fifth?” Another kiss. “And then maybe I take you to meet my parents?” Another kiss. “Or we can invite them to the farm, oooo- my dad would love to see the quarry, he would go nuts over the rehabilitation you did.”

“We?” Lexa rested her forehead against Clarke’s, her breath unsteady.

“Did I overstep?” Clarke whispered, her own breath ragged.

“No.” Lexa swallowed harshly.

_Kiss me._

Clarke’s lips curled into a smile at the thought, only she didn’t have to will Lexa into action, all she had to do was move just a little bit closer.

_She is the best kisser, sweet and gentle. She could kiss me like this for the rest of our lives and I would never get tired of it._

She leaned forward and pushed Lexa onto her back, this time Lexa offered no resistance, there was no attempt to top her, no attempt to gain the upper hand. Lexa offered herself up for Clarke to take what she wanted.

Not only did she take, but she gave as well.

Three times.

It was well into the afternoon when they finally pulled away from each other. While they had been spiritually and physically sated by their activities, the load roar of Lexa’s stomach reminded them that they had other needs to fulfill.

Lexa had cooked them a late lunch, which was the dinner from last night that they never got around to. Roasted cauliflower tacos with avocado crema and fresh slaw. Clarke sat lazily wrapped in a blanket at the window counter that served as the eating space for the treehouse, her eyes following Lexa’s every move as she snacked on some strawberries. Lexa flitted around the kitchen dressed in only socks, _looks like she fished this socks out of the lake,_ and a knee length apron, her top shelf ass was gloriously on full display every time she turned her back to Clarke.

Lexa finally turned from the stove and smiled proudly as delivered two plates to the counter. “Lunch is served.”

“Looks delicious.” Clarke grinned as she tucked into the food.

Lexa brought over two glasses of iced tea for them and a few napkins before joining Clarke. “Ah!” Lexa shrieked as she attempted to sit on the metal chair beside Clarke. Jumping back up instantly as her bare skin hit the seat. “The metal’s cold.”

Clarke smiled as she watched Lexa grab a large dishtowel from a kitchen drawer and covered the seat of the chair before sitting down again with a relieved moan.

“Not that I’m complaining, but are you gonna walk around in that apron all day?”

Lexa swallowed her bite of food with a grin. “Well, I was thinking that since the rain has apparently cleared up, and it’s going to be pretty warm this afternoon, I thought we could try out the lake?”

“I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

Lexa leaned in close and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I was thinking we could skip the swimsuits all together.”

_Woods, you little devil._

**

The water was warm, warmer than Clarke thought it would be considering how cold it had been overnight. She had opted to ease in from the dock one hesitant toe at a time, whereas Lexa gracefully dove in head first. She surfaced a few feet away from Clarke and quickly made her way back to her, wrapping Clarke up in her arms.

“Hi.” Lexa leaned in and kissed her.

“Hi.” She kissed back.

Once Clarke got acclimated to the water, they swam out away from the dock towards the middle of the lake. Lexa followed behind Clarke, and as the water was crystal clear, Clarke knew Lexa was getting quite the show.

_I’m going to give her an even better one._

Clarke rolled her body over so she was face up in the water and changed her swim stroke into a casual back stroke. Her face looked up towards the sky but she could hear the splashes of water that she assumed was Lexa floundering due to her position change.

“You ok Woods?” She asked with a devilish smirk.

“Uh huh.” Splash. “Yep, Just fine.” Splash.

Clarke felt a gentle tug on her foot and moved herself upright in the water. Lexa grinned as she quickly pulled Clarke into her arms.

“You trying to kill me Griffin?”

Clarke smiled. “Not my fault someone is easily distracted by my goodies.”

Lexa matched her smile, “well, your goodies are quite delectable, can you blame me?”

Clarke tipped her head back as she laughed. “Good to know you enjoy them.”

“Enjoy them? I would shout about how glorious they are from the rooftop, if only I wanted anyone else to know how fantastic they are.”

_Such a charmer._

She held on to Lexa, her hands drifting along the skin above Lexa’s well sculpted behind, appreciating the softness of the flesh below her fingertips. If they weren’t in the middle of the lake, Clarke surely would’ve attempted to have her way with her…again.

“The water’s so warm.” Clarke observed, changing the subject as a method of self-distraction. “I wasn’t expecting it to be.”

“It’s fed from a spring, when they cut into this quarry originally, they did a geological survey and found the springs below the bluestone and flagstone layers. When we wanted to convert it to a working lake, it didn’t take much to tap into the spring and let nature do what it does.” Lexa held her tightly, protectively almost as she relayed the information, like she was afraid Clarke might sink under the water. Clarke obviously knew how to swim; she swam out this far and had been swimming since she could move her chubby little toddler legs. They had an in-ground pool at her parent’s house and her mother insisted she learn how, just in case. Her father agreed and Clarke had swim lessons for most of her young life.

Clarke did not offer this information to the woman holding her like she was precious cargo that the deep might reach up and claim. Clarke melted into Lexa’s hold, resting her head on Lexa’s bare shoulder. She felt so safe in Lexa’s arms, even if she could very easily swim across this lake and back twice without as much as breaking a sweat, she wanted to bask in the grasp of the woman that encircled her like a protective life buoy.

“I won’t let you go.” Lexa whispered into the crown of her head and Clarke felt the meaning of those words loom heavy over both of them. The undercurrent of what they really meant was not lost on either woman. Clarke could survive just fine on her own in this lake or anywhere else for that matter, but she didn’t have to. Lexa was here, _she is here_ , and somehow in that moment, Clarke knew she always would be.

“I know.”


	10. Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> A Valentines Day treat for you. I know it took a ling time but here is the conclusion of Woods Farm.
> 
> Enjoy

Fourteen Months Later….

Clarke was sat on the front porch swing, wasting away the waning early fall afternoon with a glass of lemonade in hand _. Definitely not a bad way to fill your days,_ she thought to herself with a smile, recalling the first time she thought that very same thing. She should have been preparing for her wedding, it was tomorrow after all. But it was too nice a day to fret about such things, besides she knew Lexa’s mother and her own mother had the situation well in hand. And Clarke had come to the realization on this very porch swing that whatever wasn’t sorted out by now, just wouldn’t be sorted out.

And she was ok with that.

For honestly it really didn’t matter. In less that twenty-four hours she was going to marry the love of her life. And nothing that happened or didn’t happen today was going to change that.

She smiled again as she thought of the circumstance a little over one year ago that led her to this very front porch. How she met her very pretty, wholesome, clean living, country girl was something she would never forget, nor would she forget the blessed whirlwind that country girl would bring to the next year of her life. 

The front screen door creaked open to reveal her sister, glass of lemonade in her own hand. She made her way over to the swing and plopped down next to Clarke. Raven took a long drink from her glass. “So you’re really gonna do this huh?”

Clarke smiled over the rim of her glass as she took a sip. “I am.”

Raven sighed. “And your still set on not having bachelorette party?”

“I just want a small, intimate, casual dinner, not ladies’ night at the strip club.”

“Who said we were going to strip club?”

Clarke leveled a look at her sister that blatantly asked _are you fucking serious right now?_

Raven shrunk under her sister’s glare. “Ok, there might have been a strip club had we gone with my original plan.”

“And this is why I asked Mom to plan something.”

“Who has a bachelorette party planned by their mom? I mean really?” Raven questioned.

“Someone who doesn’t want titties in their face all night.” Clarke replied.

Raven laughed. “Don’t tell Lexa that!”

Clarke gently shoved Raven. “Lexa’s titties are the only ones I want in my face.”

“What about my titties?” Lexa asked as she walked through the screen door at the completely worst point in the conversation.

“Just that my sister here wants them in her face.” She nudged Clarke with her shoulder. “Isn’t that right Clarke?”

“That’s right.” Clarke winked at Lexa and Lexa leaned down to give her a quick kiss before sitting in the rocking chair across from the sisters.

“So what’s your plan for tonight Lexi-licious?” Raven asked. Lexa dramatically rolled her eyes at the nickname, though Clarke knew she really enjoyed the playful banter from Raven.

“Well, Raven.” Lexa emphasized Raven’s given name on purpose. “Like my fine ass fiancée, I am opting for something quiet. A nice dinner, maybe a few drinks, nothing too crazy.”

Raven stood from the swing, frustrated with the two of them. “God you guys are already a boring old married couple.” She mumbled over her shoulder as she went back into the house. Clarke and Lexa shared an amused smile as the door closed behind Raven.

“What are you really doing tonight?” Clarke poked Lexa’s calf with her toe as she asked.

Lexa smiled. “Honestly, probably exactly that. I don’t want anything too wild, I want to be able to enjoy and remember everything tomorrow and not spend the day fighting a wicked hangover.”

“Same.” Clarke agreed. “I know Raven wants a night of tittie themed debauchery, but I just want something quiet.”

Lexa grinned. “You sure your sister’s straight?”

Clarke shrugged her shoulders. “Who knows?”

**

Lexa’s bachelorette was exactly what she wanted. Anya and Lincoln (we don’t conform to gender norms here) and a few of her college friends that she kept in touch with. Anya had found a bar that was 100% vegan and was holding a Golden Girls trivia tournament. It was literally Lexa’s ideal night in every way.

_Except that Clarke isn’t here with me._

Lexa had to remind herself that this separation was only temporary. That in about sixteen hours, she would be married to Clarke and after that…well after that, was forever.

“What are you smiling at?” Lincoln asked with a knowing grin.

“Just thinking about my fiancée.” Lexa smile grew larger. “I really lucked out Linc.”

“Who lucked out?” Anya asked as she brought another round of shots for the crew, and an ice water with lemon for Lexa to the table.

“Me, by landing the most amazing woman in the world.” Lexa grinned as she took a sip from her water. “Thanks Anya.”

Anya waved her off as she downed her shot of tequila and urged Lincoln to do the same. The big man shrugged and downed the shot, even though he hated tequila. It wasn’t lost on Lexa that her college roommate Octavia watched on intently as Lincoln wiped a drop of wayward tequila from his top lip, nor was it lost on Lexa that Octavia had seem quite infatuated by the big teddy bear all night. Lexa nudged the girl, “he’s single” she whispered in her friend’s ear.

“And why would I need that information?” Octavia whispered back.

Lexa shrugged her shoulders, “just thought I’d put that general info out into the world, no other reason.”

Lincoln was immersed in conversation with Anya and a few others at the table as Octavia and Lexa watched on quietly. He picked up his beer bottle to take a sip, his very large and defined bicep flexing obnoxiously as he took his drink. Octavia eyes were so glued to the action that she almost poked herself in the eye with a straw when she leaned down to take a sip of her own drink.

She turned just in time to see Lexa chuckling at her. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it over to Lexa. “Ok, so maybe you can give me his number.”

“Uh huh.” Lexa entered the number into Octavia’s phone. “And I’ll do you one better and give you his Insta too so you can slide headfirst right into those DMs.”

“I’d like to slide headfirst right into his pants.” Octavia winked suggestively at Lexa.

“Ew.”

“Just because you don’t want to ride the Big Dick Express, doesn’t mean that I can’t hop on.”

“Again, ew.”

“All right everyone,” The trivia MC announced. “I hope you are ready to take a trip to sunny Miami, because Golden Girls trivia will be starting in ten minutes!”

“Oh thank God.” Lexa muttered. “I can’t listen to any more talk on the mating habits of heterosexuals tonight.”

Octavia shrugged her shoulders as she took another sip. “Your loss.”

“It’s really not.”

Anya turned her attention back to Lexa and slapped her on the shoulder. “Alright Lexa, you ready to win this shit?”

Lexa grinned confidently. “As they say in St. Olaf: hergenbargenflergenflurfennerfen.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

***

“So Clarke, how’s your job going?” Her cousin Emily asked as the waiter refilled her wine glass.

“It going quite well.” Clarke responded truthfully as she cut into her steak. She didn’t eat meat often these days, very much due to Lexa’s influence, but she hadn’t yet gone completely vegan. Occasionally she did still enjoy a piece of fresh grilled fish or even a greasy bacon cheeseburger. Tonight, she opted for a filet mignon.

“They were ok with you relocating?” Her cousin pressed on.

“Yeah, they had no problem with me moving here on a permanent basis.” Clarke answered before taking a bite of her perfectly prepared steak.

They had opted for a dinner at the newly renovated Milton Hotel in town as it was where her parents, and most of their wedding guests were staying. It was also conveniently where their reception would be held the next day. It was a charming original turn of the last century, now boutique hotel located directly in the middle of the small town were they lived.

It was also directly across the street from the old train station that had also been recently rehabbed and added as a stop for the local tourist railroad that ran through this part of the state every summer. The hotel anticipated this burst in commerce which is why they coincided their remodel with the train’s arrival. Along with the hotel, old storefronts were already, or were in the process of, being rehabilitated.

The farm had done a popup store for the first two weeks the train had started coming though, driving a good bit of traffic to the bigger store a few miles down the road. It was Clarke’s idea and Lexa loved it and subsequently ran with it. So much so that they recently bought the old Woolworths right next to the train station to give Woods Farm a more permanent addition to the downtown.

Woods Mercantile would be holding its grand opening in exactly two months.

Lexa had wanted to call it Griffin Mercantile, since it was Clarke’s idea, but Clarke insisted it be named after her fiancée’s already thriving business for continuity’s sake. She had yet to tell her almost wife she was changing her last name to Woods after they married, sooooo technically it would be named after her when she signs her name as Clarke Woods on their marriage certificate tomorrow.

_Clarke Woods._

_I fucking love the sound of that._

“And you’re ok with living in the middle of nowhere?” Her other cousin Kelsey inquired. _You know Kelsey, the stuck up married into successful tech startup wealth hobnobbing with Silicon Valley elite came here on her husband’s private jet super judgmental always thought she was better than you cousin that you only talk to on familial special occasions? The one looking down her nose at you over her wine glass right now? That your mother insisted you invite to this small gathering of your closest loved ones?_

Raven answered for Clarke. “She’s very ok with living with her immensely successful partner, who will both be spending ample time with their equally successful and definitely cuter younger sister at her new beachfront home in Cocoa Beach.”

_Yeah Raven hated her too._

“Cocoa Beach, how… quaint.” Kelsey added, now looking down her nose at Raven.

“Puta.” Raven whispered under her breath, just loud enough for only Clarke to hear, causing Clarke to chuckle under her breath.

“So Kelsey,” their mother interjected, “tell me more about the new house.” Clarke was thankful that her mother was astute enough to detect both her daughters distress and directed the conversation back to the thing that would interest Kelsey most, herself. Kelsey immediately began a long winded ramble regarding Italian marble in the in the master bathroom that was sure to kill the next thirty minutes at least. Raven leaned over and whispered, “Thank God we only have to deal with her for one more day.”

***

“Congratulations to Team Shady Pines! As the winner of our inaugural Golden Girls trivia night, they each win a t-shirt, a shot glass and the Team Captain wins the full set of Golden Girls Funko Pops! Come on up and accept your winnings!” Lexa happily bounded up to the front of the bar to collect her Funkos while the others picked out the swag they wanted. They settled back around the table as Lexa eyed up her prize. “Clarke’s gonna love those.” Anya playfully nudged her shoulder, “you should put them on your mantle, right next to your engagement photo.”

Lexa grinned. “Clarke would happily decorate our mantle with my triumphant award for wiping the floor with all these Golden Girl noobs.”

“Well in celebration of your glorious victory, have one shot with us.” Anya requested.

“Fine,” Lexa relented, “just one.”

***

“What’s this?” Clarke asked as Raven slid a shot glass full of golden liquid in front of her.

“Medicine to help you choke down the load of la mierda (bullshit) that Kelsey is serving up tonight.” Raven replied. The two girls clinked their glasses together and downed their shots. “Jesus!” Clarke hissed as the tequila burned her throat. “You could’ve warned me it was straight tequila.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Raven smirked as she dropped a $20 on the bar top and signaled the bartender for another round.

“I don’t want to get wasted tonight Rae.”

“I know; I just want you to have a good time. It’s not every day my slightly older sister gets married and as much as they try, the uppity California cousins are not bringing the Griffin girls down tonight.”

“Woods.” Clarke said with a wide smile as she pointed to herself.

“Woods huh?” Raven smiled. “You gonna leave me as the sole heir to the Griffin surname?”

Clarke threw her arm around her sister’s shoulder. “You may not have been born a Griffin, but you have always been a Griffin. I have no doubt the legacy of my soon to be maiden name will be safe with you Bam Bam.”

Raven choked back a wayward tear. “Thanks Pebbles.”

The bartender placed two new shots of tequila in front of them, each took one and Raven held up her glass, “to Clarke almost formerly Griffin, soon to be Woods. Long may she reign!”

***

“Lexa are you ok?”

“Uhhh yep.”

One shot turned quickly to four shots taken in rapid succession which left Lexa feeling warm and fuzzy inside. She wasn’t drunk, far from it, but she was certainly feeling the booze coursing through her veins. The slight stumble as she walked up the steps to her house was quick to remind her of exactly how many drinks she had consumed not more than twenty minutes ago.

“You sure?” Lincoln asked again as she gently steered her to the front door by her elbow, he took the house keys out of her hand and opened the door for her.

“Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix.” She replied as she patted the big man on the shoulder.

Lincoln dropped the keys on the kitchen table. “All right then,” he replied with a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Good night Lexa.” He spoke softly before he went back out through the front door.

“Night Lincoln.”

***

Raven stumbled against the front door as Clarke fished the keys from the bottom of her purse. “I can’t believe you live here now.” Raven nearly shouted as Clarke victoriously retrieved the keys.

“I’ve lived here for almost six months and I’ve never been more thankful that we don’t have next door neighbors considering your volume right now.”

“Oh shit.” Raven clasped her hand over her mouth. “Am I being loud?”

“Your normally at an eleven most days, but you’ve been cranked up to about twenty for the last hour.”

“Sorry!” Raven whisper shouted.

“You’re my maid of honor, you better be able to function tomorrow.”

“Pshh.” Raven scoffed. “Ill be fine. It was so worth it to see Kelsey spit out tequila all over her $30,000 Hermès bag.”

Clarke grinned. “Ok, it kinda was. Who knew she could be so easily goaded into a drinking contest?”

“Mom knew, which is why she rolled her eyes and walked away!”

“Well,” Clarke replied as she led them thought the front door, “she insisted I invite them, so technically it is all her fault.”

She grabbed Ravens’s water bottle from the fridge and handed it to her before herding her to the spare bedroom. Aside from a few small additions from Clarke’s now vacant apartment, it looked nearly identical to when she stayed here all those months ago.

“You sure you’re going to be all right tomorrow?” Clarke asked as she placed a bottle of pain relievers next to the water on the night stand.

“I promise I will be right as rain in the A.M. Now go have Lexa shove those fine ass titties in your face for the last time as single ladies!”

Clarke rolled her eyes but gave her sister a laugh.

“Good night Bam Bam.”

“Night Pebbs.”

***

Lexa rolled over as she heard Clarke open the bedroom door.

“Babe?” She asked, her eyes taking a minute to adjust to the light spilling in from the hallway.

“Sorry love.” Clarke quickly closed the door behind her.

Clarke dropped her purse on one of their bedroom chairs and walked over to the bed, sitting down next to Lexa. “Hey.” She spoke softly as she ran her hand through the sleep mussed wayward curls on Lexa’s head.

“Hi.” Lexa smiled softly, leaning into her touch.

“Did you have a good night?” Clarke asked, and even in the dim light of their bedroom Lexa could see the tenderness in her eyes.

“I had a great night.” Lexa replied honestly, sinking further into her pillow as Clarke lovingly caressed her cheek.

“What did you do?” Clarke asked.

“Go get ready for bed and get under these covers with me and I’ll tell you.” Lexa replied with a soft smile.

“Fiiiine.” Clarke leaned down and kissed her before heading into their bathroom.

Ten minutes later Clarke reappeared dewy and fresh faced in her fuzzy green and white polka dot bathrobe. She slipped off her jewelry, placing all but her engagement ring on a dish on their dresser before slipping off her robe and sliding under the covers.

She snuggled into Lexa’s arms, resting her head on Lexa’s chest, their normal nightly falling asleep position. Lexa loved that Clarke also slept naked, that they could both enjoy the intimacy that only skin on skin contact brought, even in this very non-sexual manner.

Clarke played with the charm on the silver necklace she bought Lexa for their one-year anniversary, another of Clarke’s nightly habits. The charm was a tiny silver tree, meant to commemorate their first date and their first night together. She kissed the top of Clarke’s head. She felt her eyes flutter as sleep called for her again. _How did I get so lucky to spend every night like this?_

“Sooooo.” Clarke asked, pulling her back to the conscious world. “Where did you go?”

_“_ Anya took me to a Golden Girls Trivia night.” Lexa rubbed her hand up and down Clarke’s back, her fingertips lingering over one of the dimples at the small of her back.

Clarke kissed the underside of her chin. “I’m going to assume with complete certainty that you destroyed any and all competition?”

“I did.” Lexa beamed proudly.

“As if there was any doubt.” Clarke smiled into Lexa’s skin, placing a kiss on her neck.

Clarke quieted, Lexa assumed the events of the long day were finally catching up with her fiancée. Lexa nosed Clarke’s hair taking in her scent, as she normally did every night. She liked having Clarke’s scent in her nose, making it the last of the outside world’s daily imprints on her brain. It was soothing, always a grounding force that calmed her mind. A smile crept up on her face when she realized she would be able to have this for the rest of her life. Tomorrow she would stand in front of their friends and family and announce her intentions, make her declarations, and finally be married to the love of her life. Tonight she would fall asleep as a single woman for the last time. Tomorrow night she would fall asleep with a shiny silver band on her finger next to her new wife. But that was not the only new thing that would happen tomorrow.

She had not shared this with anyone yet, but tomorrow, she would officially become Lexa Griffin.

***

“Clarke, you finished showering?”

Clarke wrapped her robe around her and toweled off her hair as she exited the bathroom. “I am Mom; you can come in.”

Her mother came in followed by her sister. “What do you need us to do?” Her mother asked as Raven began rummaging through her make up bag.

She slapped Raven’s hands away from her bag as she sat down at her vanity. “I’m going to do my own make-up thank you.”

“What, you don’t want a deep smoky eye and a double winged liner?”

“Maybe if I was going out clubbing, but today I want something lighter, more natural.”

Her mother came over and played with the ends of her shoulder length hair. “How do you want to wear your hair?”

“Up, but with some loose pieces in the front. I have a flowered headpiece that I want to put on.”

Her mother nodded and silently set to work. Clarke’s eyes drifted to the vase of white flowers Lexa had put on her vanity this morning before she left to go to the hotel to get ready. Ever since she had moved in, Clarke had been keen to fill the vase with fresh flowers from the garden every Sunday morning, and appreciated Lexa leaning over and taking a deep whiff of them every night as they got ready for bed. Clarke smiled at the thought of her wonderful fiancée sneaking off to the side garden in the chill of the morning before judiciously selecting the perfect flowers to form this bouquet.

She would know, she had done the same a half hour ago to have the fresh flowers necessary for her headpiece.

As her mother brushed out her locks and began to thread intricate braids though her hair, Clarke’s mind wandered.

After her car was finally fixed, Clarke took off for her long awaited trip to see Raven, with the scheduling of several more dates with Lexa already securely locked in. She had been at once forlorn to leave the woman who had easily stolen her heart and excited at the prospect of spending quality time with her sister. She may have sent Lexa several (dozens of) suggestive pictures throughout the entire trip.

_Had to keep her reminded of what she was missing, Wouldn’t want her to forget right?_

Their second date occurred immediately after her return from Raven’s apartment. It quickly turned into dates three and four as Clarke spent the weekend. Needleless to say Lexa didn’t forget, but Clarke spent those forty-eight hours reminding her over and over again. _Just to make sure._

Leaving had been even harder the second time, but plans were made for Clarke’s imminent return. Lexa was pretty much tied to the farm and Clarke’s flexibility in locale made the decision for them. Not that Clarke minded, it gave her a chance to drive her brand new Jeep Wrangler. The trading in of Douche Canoe Finn’s choice of car predictably happened the second Clarke returned to her own apartment. Ridding herself of that car providing the final bit of closure on that relationship that Clarke didn’t even know she really needed.

But she was happy to have it.

As the relationship progressed, it was obvious to both of them that neither was going anywhere. It took about a month for some of Clarke’s things to take up permanent residence in the farmhouse. A toothbrush, toiletries, pajamas (which would soon be turned into lazy Sunday morning attire when she decided to start sleeping naked with Lexa), hoodies (she mostly stole Lexa’s but a few of her own made it there) and underwear. One month in, Lexa had cleared out several drawers and a portion of her closet for Clarke’s things. Two months in, Raven and Lexa met, Raven quickly hitting it off with Lexa and becoming fast friends. Three months in, a spot in the barn was kept clear for Clarke’s Jeep to park. Four months in, Lexa set up a home office off the kitchen for Clarke to work from when she stayed over. Five months in, Clarke’s parents came down for the weekend to meet Lexa and enjoy pumpkin chunkin. Six months in, Clarke was planning a vegan Thanksgiving dinner for the Woods/Griffin clan. Seven months in, they jointly decorated the farmhouse’s Christmas tree (Clarke hadn’t even bothered to decorate her own home. After a while it just seemed silly to go back to an empty apartment and spend time missing each other, when they could be spending all their time together.) Eight months in, Lexa asked her to move in. Nine months in, they spent their first Valentine’s day exchanging cliché gifts including vegan conversation hearts (Lexa’s favorite Valentine’s candy.) Ten months in, Clarke’s lease was up and they moved what little she wanted to keep from her apartment to the farmhouse. Eleven months in, Clarke learned from Lincoln how to make Lexa’s favorite dessert. One year in, another line of thunderstorms hit the farm and while torrential rain wholly enveloped the land around them, Lexa proposed.

When Clarke broke the news of her impending nuptials to her parents, her mother was happy for them, but was also quick to chide Clarke that it was too soon in the relationship for them to be engaged and/or cohabitating and that they were foolishly rushing into things of permanency. Clarke had to bite back her knee jerk response that it was only a few years ago that her mother had advised her to “settle down.” Her father on the other hand, bawled like a baby professing his happiness and simultaneous heartbreak that his little girl was officially all grown up.

Thankfully, her ever present rock of a sister hugged her, told her she was happy for her, and wished her and Lexa only the best and brightest future. It was really the only endorsement Clarke wanted. Not that Clarke needed her parent’s approval, she knew with every fiber of her existence that Lexa was her person, but it was nice to have it.

***

“Lexa?” Her mother had wandered into the bathroom of the treehouse were Lexa had been getting ready. Lexa checked herself over in the mirror one last time before turning and facing her mom.

“You look beautiful honey.”

“Thanks Ma.” Lexa blushed at her mother’s words. She had opted to go with a traditional black suit with a crisp white dress shirt. She left her hair down with one braid around her crown to keep her hair out of her face. She wore simple make up, but more than she usually would wear. Anya had done it for her, _she was always so much better at that stuff._ And Lexa had to admit, it looked really good.

“I am so proud of you Lexa. Your father and I both are. We are constantly amazed every day at the beautiful thoughtful woman you’ve become. And we are so happy that you found someone equally as thoughtful, amazing and beautiful to share your life with.”

“She really is.” Lexa had to fight back tears for fear of having to find Anya to fix her “masterpiece” if she ruined this makeup.

“Lexa?” Her father appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. “Oh my goodness.” He blurted out as he began crying. “Look at you. My baby is all grown.” Her mother pulled out a tissue from her bag and handed it to him. “I would hug you but I don’t want to wrinkle you.” He blubbered.

“Oh Dad.” Lexa pulled the big man in for a hug, wrinkles be damned. “Mom,” she held her arm out and her mother wrapped her arms around her, the group hugging each other until Lincoln came to remind them that it was time.

“Since the day you were born, I have both dreaded and dreamed of this day.” Her father spoke softly. “It may not have been what I once imagined, but I am so happy that I can still walk you down the aisle.” They hadn’t kept too many wedding traditions, the heteronormativity imbued in some too much for them. But they had decided to keep a few, their fathers walking them down the aisle being one. And Lexa was so glad that they did.

“Me too Dad.”

Makeup was checked, wrinkles were flattened, hair was wrestled back into place.

_Here we go._

***

“You look so beautiful Clarke.” Her father spoke softly, the tears already welling up in his eyes.

Clarke swallowed back her own tears, “Thanks Dad.”

He reached over to take her hand, placing it in the crook of his elbow, just as they had practiced at the rehearsal yesterday morning. Lexa had opted to go first as she wanted to see Clarke make her entrance.

They stood together, waiting for the musical cue that would prompt their walk down the aisle. Her father turned to her, the tears still sparkling in his eyes. “I just wanted to say, Lexa is a good one and I’m very proud of you and very happy for both of you.”

She couldn’t hold back the tears this time and was grateful her makeup was waterproof. She pulled her father in for a hug. His muscular arms wrapped round her and in that moment she felt like his little girl again.

And suddenly she understood his conflicting feelings of happiness and grief at approaching this milestone in her life, for she was feeling them too. A chapter of her life was coming to an end, but a bright exciting new one was just beginning.

Hearing their music cue, Jake pulled back. “Enjoy this, enjoy every second, because believe me, it goes by so fast.”

Clarke knew he wasn’t only speaking to the wedding ceremony.

“You ready kiddo?”

“More than.”

_Here we go._

***

Lexa blinked and it was over. _I’m married._ _She actually married me!_ A part of her would still think it all a dream but for the silver band on her left hand glinting in the sun catching her eye every time she moved. She picked up her hand to closely inspect it again.

Clarke sat down next to her on the dock and smiled. “Something wrong?”

Lexa shook her head, “just happy” she spoke as she reached for Clarke’s hand.

“Aren’t you afraid you’ll get your dress dirty?”

“Nah, no one’s taking pictures of the back of my dress, and I want to sit here with you and enjoy this moment.”

Lexa placed her arm supportively around her wife as they let the sound of nature overtake them. They had opted to take their wedding photos at the treehouse. It was an ideal location and the fall foliage was just hitting its most scenic and colorful peak. Hues of orange, red and gold provided the picturesque backdrop. The afternoon sun was also hitting the lake just perfectly, millions of tiny diamonds glittered across their view.

They didn’t know it then, but Raven had caught the private moment from the corner of her eye and pulled out her phone to snap a quick picture of the couple.

Even with all the photos the professional photographer captured, this would become Lexa’s favorite photo from their wedding day.

***

_Dad was right_. In the blink of an eye, they had made their way down the aisle, her hand was placed in Lexa’s and they exchanged their vows. Clarke had no idea how much time had transpired since as they had been whisked away for photos after the ceremony and then whisked back to the reception before she could even catch her breath. The only moment she had been able to really savor was with Lexa on the dock.

She was currently sat at the head table nursing an ice filled glass of water, her now wife, _it would take a moment to get used to calling Lexa that,_ was lost somewhere in the sea of well-wishing friends and family. She looked down at the shiny silver band on her finger, it was a perfect match to the vintage silver sapphire engagement ring Lexa had given her several months ago. The ring was a Woods family heirloom and had been her great-great-grandmother’s, making its way through the Woods family before being passed down to Lexa. Once Clarke found out its lineage, she was adamant that Lexa take back the ring so it would stay within her family.

Lexa flatly refused, stating simply that it already was.

_God I love her._

***

Lexa had been kidnapped by their guests.

At least that’s what she wanted Clarke to think.

She had Lincoln seek out the marriage officiant so she could put pen to paper and finally sign their marriage license. Doing so would officially change her surname to Griffin, something she was surprisingly eager to do. Woods Farm would still and always be Woods Farm, changing her last name didn’t change that fact. The business was built with Lexa’s sweat and ingenuity, not her last name.

She wanted to keep it a surprise for Clarke. Once they had become engaged they ran through the same conversations that presumably every same sex couple has. _What will our last name be?_ The hyphenated version, no matter it be Woods-Griffin ( _that sounds like the name of a 40’s matinee idol Clarke_ ) or Griffin-Woods ( _well that sounds like the name of a state park Lexa)_ obviously didn’t sit right with either of them. And neither could talk the other into keeping their own last names. In the end, they really didn’t resolve anything, and in the whirlwind of wedding planning and running the farm, it just kinda got forgotten about.

Until Lexa got the brilliant idea that the mercantile (Clarke’s brilliant idea) should be named after Clarke.

_I think I should be named after Clarke too._

And that was that, Lexa’s mind was decided. She deferred to Clarke insisting the mercantile keep the Woods name for continuity (Clarke was right after all). But she would not defer on this. Now all she had to do was sign the license as Alexandria Griffin and it would be official and most importantly, legal.

“Here we are.” Lincoln and Raven walked into the side room that Lexa had been hiding in. “And we brought Magistrate Winters and most importantly, she brought the license!” Raven poked Lexa. “Last chance Lexacoon, you can still bail on my sister, all you have to do is forget to sign!”

“I would never bail on your sister! If I did I would lose you and who would buy me beer and vegan nachos when their football team loses, huh Rae-Ban?” Lexa teased.

“Look, Lexi-Lesbi it’s not my fault Rutgers sucks at college football. I only went there because I got a full scholarship to go, I didn’t pick it for its football acumen.”

“Sure Rae Orbison. Sure.”

Lincoln cleared his throat. “Are you two done? I have a wedding cake to add finishing touches to.”

Lincoln had made a rustic style vegan lemon blueberry wedding cake. Lemon for Lexa, blueberry for Clarke. He was in his last semester at pastry school and asked if he could make it as their wedding gift, and they were quite happy to accept his offer. _As if Clarke would have allowed any other person to bake our cake._

“Well shit big guy, all you had to do was say cake.” Raven took the pen and signed in the appropriate witness spot. Lincoln quickly followed suit before handing the pen to Lexa.

_Here goes._

Raven watched on as Lexa added her signature to the legal document, her eyes growing comically wide as she saw what Lexa had filled in as her last name.

Lexa looked up at her sister in law, entire body full of pride at what she had just done. Raven put a comforting hand on her shoulder, “Oh Lexa, Clarke is going to shit when she sees that.”

Lexa took it as Raven giving her approval. But while Raven loved Lexa and would happily accept her into the Griffin clan, that was not how she meant it.

For you see, Raven already knew that Clarke had planned on becoming Clarke Woods.

***

_Who am I to ruin this fun?_ Raven smiled as she escorted her new sister in law back into the ballroom.

She handed Lexa off to Anya, _fucking smoking hot Anya who will be coming back to the farmhouse with me later but I digress,_ before seeking out her sister.

She smiled when she spied Clarke chatting up Lexa’s friends.

“Hey sis.” Raven inserted herself into the conversation, wrapping a hand around Clarke’s arm. “Hello everyone, do you mind if I steal Clarke for a minute?”

***

“Raven what could possibly this pressing that you had to rip me away from Lexa’s friends?” Clarke shirked out of Raven’s grip as the entered the side room adjacent to the ballroom. It took Clarke a few seconds to notice the other person in the room. “Oh hello Magistrate Winters.”

“Hello again Clarke, and please, call me Nora.”

“Clarke, Nora has the wedding license for you to sign.” Raven interjected. She eyed her sister suspiciously, Raven was buzzing with energy and seemingly a little too excited by the signing of a simple form.

Clarke tuned back to Nora who pointed to the document on the table. “Are you ready Clarke?”

Clarke sighed, she hadn’t seen her wife in over a half hour and really wanted to do this with her. “Have you seen Lexa?”, she asked Raven, “I really wanted to sign this together.”

“Nope.” Raven’s eyes bounced from the magistrate back to Clarke. _She’s up to something._

“What’s going on?” She narrowed her eyes at her sister.

“Nothing.” Raven threw her hands up in defense. “I swear! I just wanted you to get this done before you got swept up in the reception merriment and festivities. You know, doing my maid of honor duties just as you assigned them to me.”

Clarke playfully rolled her eyes, she had given Raven a laundry list of jobs to do today, this being one of them.

“Okay, you’re right, I did ask you to keep us on track and you’ve done an excellent job of that. So let’s sign this and make it official.” _Here goes._ Clarke took the pen and signed on the line that Nora had pointed to, _Clarke Abigail Woods._ She noticed the other signatures already on the paper, but didn’t look closely, she assumed it was Nora’s and the witnesses, which were there, but missed the additional one.

“There you go,” She smiled as she handed the pen back to Nora. “All official.”

“Um Clarke,” Raven piped up “did you look at the other signatures?”

“No why?” Clarke stared down at the paper again.

_Nora Elizabeth Winters_

_Raven Griffin_

_Lincoln Joshua Orman_

_Clarke Abigail Woods_

_Alexandria Reyne Griffin_

Clarke did a double take so comical, Raven giggled like a schoolgirl behind her.

_Alexandria Reyne **GRIFFIN**?_

“What. The. Fuck.”

***

“Walk with me?” Clarke whispered in Lexa’s ear as she pulled her wife by her bicep away from a group of older relatives.

“Sorry Ladies! The wife is beckoning!” She smiled politely over her shoulder as Clarke led her away, unsure what was happening. She could feel the grip around the rolled up sleeve of her dress shirt, the fingertips pressing gently but firmly into her flesh as Clarke led them away from the crowd. They walked for about ten minutes, till Clarke pulled her into a small meeting room on the other side of the hotel. Clarke shoved her in and closed the door behind them, resting her head against the wood. _Does she want to start the honeymoon early?_ Lexa grinned at her wife mischievously, already feeling the heat from the mere possibility in her nether regions. 

Lexa would be lying if she said she didn’t think about taking Clarke in her wedding dress. She had fallen asleep imaging this exact scenario many times in the past few months. The fumbling of hands as they tried to reach each other through their dress clothes, the silken white fabric bunched around them, Clarke covering her moans by biting into Lexa’s shoulder as she drove into her wife over and over, holding Clarke through her release, the smoothing down of fabric and hair so they could be once again presentable to their guests.

“Mrs. Griffin, are you trying to seduce me?” Lexa hummed, her hands finding purchase on Clarke’s hips.

“My name,” Clarke sighed, “Is Mrs. Woods.”

Lexa grin dropped for a second. “Babe, Mrs. Woods is my mother.”

“Mrs. Woods is also your wife.”

Now her grin was completely gone. “What?”

Clarke pulled an envelope from somewhere on her person, Lexa wasn’t sure where exactly as her dress was pretty form fitting and handed to over to her.

“What’s this?” Lexa asked.

“Read it.”

Lexa opened the envelope and pulled out the document which she quickly recognized as their wedding license. A dozen questions ran through her head. _Did I sign in the wrong spot? Did Raven do something to alter this?_ _Do we need another witness?_ She perused the document, checking over every signature till she saw it.

_Clarke Abigail Woods_

_Clarke Abigail **WOODS!**_

“This says your name is Clarke Woods.”

“I know.”

“Woods.”

“I know Lexa.”

“But Clarke, this says your name is Woods!”

“I know Lexa.”

“I don’t understand.”

Clarke sighed as Lexa held the offending document in her hand, fingertip pointing to the signature. “We never settled on a last name and I wanted to surprise you.” _Oh._ Lexa’s heart melted a little bit more for the woman who was her world. _She wanted to have my last name. She loves me that much that she wanted to have that part of me too, when she already had every piece of my heart and soul._

_God I love her._

“Well, when were you gonna tell me your middle name was Abigail?”

Clarke barked out a loud laugh and fell into Lexa who immediately wrapped her arms around her bride. “Another surprise?” Clarke slid her hands around her waist and held her tighter. "What about you? Lexa Reyne Griffin?”

“You knew my middle name Clarke, I told you on our second date.”

Clarke gave her a playful tap. “You didn’t tell me you wanted my last name.”

“I didn’t realize it till you had the idea for the general store. All of a sudden it just made sense.”

Clarke smiled. “We really should have discussed this further.”

“Its gonna cost a fortune to change it to…well whatever we change it too.” Lexa grinned as she pulled her in tighter. “I knew nothing about you was ever going to be easy.”

“Nope. Complicating things is how I roll.” Clarke laughed.

“Hmm.” Lexa hummed in agreement.

“I do have another surprise for you.”

Lexa sighed as she sank a little more into Clarke. “I don’t think I can take any more surprises today.”

“That’s too bad, because we are alone in this room, far away from our guests, and I’ve had filthy thoughts about you in that suit… all… day.”

_We really are of the same mind sometimes, one of the many reasons why I married you._

“I’m going to lock the door. You better be naked by the time I get back.”

_She really is gonna be the death of me, isn’t she?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I did have a picture that inspired the wedding looks for them but I couldn't get it to attach. I will post it on my tumblr northshore79112 if you are interested in seeing it. Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> In case you don't know who Ma Barker is. I hope you enjoyed chapter 1!
> 
> https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/ma-barker


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